Statins are safe for children with abnormal cholesterol levels

Statins are safe for children with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH), according to research directed by Professor Steve Humphries and published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology. FH is estimated to affect over 56,000 children in the UK, but currently only around 600 children in the UK have been diagnosed. Using the FH Children’s Register the research found that statins had no impact on the growth of children, and did not lead to damage in the liver or muscles. Interestingly, obesity rates in the registered children were half what is seen in UK children in general. This is likely to be due to the lifestyle changes and dietary advice given to children with FH. Press coverage of the article included Daily Mail, Mirror, Telegraph and Times.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/up-to-56-000-children-may-get-statins-say-scientists-gbg3tcrw5

The UK Paediatric Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Register: Statin-related safety and 1-year growth data. Humphries SE, Cooper J, Dale P, Ramaswami U; FH Paediatric Register Steering Group. J Clin Lipidol. 2017 Nov 22. pii: S1933-2874(17)30514-7.