Reduction of albumin excretion rate in normotensive microalbuminuric type 2 diabetic patients during long-term simvastatin treatment.

To study the long-term effects of simvastatin on urinary albumin excretion rate (AER) in normotensive microalbuminuric type 2 diabetic patients with hypercholesterolemia. A total of 19 normotensive microalbuminuric hypercholesterolemic type 2 diabetic patients entered a double-blind crossover study for 2 years, receiving either simvastatin (20 mg/day) or placebo (each treatment for 1 year). Simvastatin significantly decreased plasma cholesterol (total and LDL) after 52 weeks of treatment. A concomitant significant decrease of AER (25% from basal) with no significant changes in creatinine clearance was observed during the same period. Our data are in keeping with the hypothesis that simvastatin might be used as an additional means to preserve renal function in microalbuminuric hypercholesterolemic type 2 diabetic patients.