Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42344364›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in cardiovascular medicine2026

SIMVASTATIN as a potential protective strategy against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Barbara Pala, Mariagrazia Piscione, Maria Carmela Di Marcantonio, Francesco Cribari, Roberta Vitale, Thomas Baldi, Ada Popolo, Gabriella Mincione

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Barbara PalaUOC Cardiologia, Ospedale IDI-IRCCS, Roma, Italy.
Mariagrazia PiscioneDepartment of Cardiology, SS. Annunziata Hospital, ASL2 Abruzzo, Chieti, Italy.
Maria Carmela Di MarcantonioDepartment of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Francesco CribariUOC Cardiologia, Ospedale IDI-IRCCS, Roma, Italy.
Roberta VitaleDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy.
Thomas BaldiIndependent Researcher, Roma, Italy.
Ada Popolo *Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy.
Gabriella Mincione *Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC) represents a major limitation in oncology, leading to ventricular dysfunction and long-term morbidity. Lipophilic statins, such as simvastatin, exert pleiotropic effects beyond cholesterol lowering, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, which may confer cardioprotection. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 80 oncology patients treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Clinical, biochemical, and electrocardiographic (ECG) data were collected at baseline and after completion of chemotherapy or during follow-up. Early chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction was assessed using ECG markers, including QTa/QTc prolongation and T-wave flattening. Reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50%. Patients were stratified according to exposure to simvastatin therapy versus no statin treatment. Associations between statin use and cardiac outcomes were evaluated using adjusted regression models; additional propensity score-based weighting analyses were performed to account for potential baseline differences between groups. Results: Seven patients developed HFrEF. Among patients with preserved LVEF (>60%), 25 developed new ECG abnormalities, whereas 39 maintained normal ECG findings. Statin therapy was strongly associated with protection against ECG alterations: 23 of 25 patients with ECG changes were not receiving statins, while 33 of 39 patients without abnormalities were statin users. Statin-treated patients showed significantly smaller declines in LVEF (ΔLVEF -1.7% vs. -8.0%, Conclusion: Statin therapy was associated with a lower incidence of early electrocardiographic abnormalities and attenuation of subclinical cardiac dysfunction in patients treated with doxorubicin. These findings suggest that lipophilic statins may mitigate early electrophysiological remodeling and preserve ventricular function during anthracycline therapy, supporting a potential cardioprotective role beyond lipid lowering.

Indexed as

cardioprotectioncholesteroldoxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicityelectrocardiographic abnormalitiessimvastatin

Identifiers

PMID42344364
PMCPMC13286747

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.