The effect of simvastatin on periprosthetic bone mineral density in the hypercholesterolaemic patients after total hip arthroplasty

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of simvastatin on periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) in hypercholesterolaemic patients after total hip arthroplasty. Methods From January 2012 to December 2015, a total of 42 consecutive hypercholesterolaemic patients with total hip arthroplasty were recruited for this study. The simvastatin group was 21 patients (15 males, 6 females) with average age of 69.4 +/- 6.6 years treated with simvastatin for one year post-operatively, and the control group was the other 21 patients (12 males, 9 females) who did not take simvastatin. These parameters of the periprosthetic bone mineral density after total hip arthroplasty were collected by dual energy Xray absorptiometry(DEXA) one week and three, six, 12 months post-operatively. Results In the control group patients showed significant loss of periprosthetic BMD in ROIs 1, 2, 6, and 7 throughout the study period. The loss of BMD in ROIs 3 and 5 was only significantly observed at three months follow-up and recovered thereafter. There were no significant detected changes of BMD in ROI 4. In the Simvastatin group, the percentage of BMD loss was significantly less (P < 0.05) in ROI 1, 2, 6 and 7 throughout the study period than the control group. The percentage of BMD loss were significant observed in ROI 3 and 5 at three months follow-up, which were also significantly less (P < 0.05) than in the control group. A slight gain of BMD was measured in ROI 4 at 12 months follow-up (1.419%, P < 0.05). Conclusion Simvastatin administered for one year post-operatively can effectively prevent periprosthetic bone loss after total hip arthroplasty.