ArticleSpine2019
Locally Applied Simvastatin as an Adjunct to Promote Spinal Fusion in Rats.
Article in Spine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- TGF-β1/BSA coating modulates multi-phasic scaffolds for osteochondral tissue regeneration.Materials today. Bio · 2025Article
- Precision medicine strategies for spinal degenerative diseases: Injectable biomaterials with in situ repair and regeneration.Materials today. Bio · 2022Review
- Lumbar spine intervertebral disc gene delivery of BMPs induces anterior spine fusion in lewis rats.Scientific reports · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
STUDY
designBasic Science.
objectiveTo determine if locally delivered simvastatin can enhance bone formation in a rat spinal fusion model. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The bone-anabolic properties of statins in fracture healing are well established, however, few studies have evaluated the impact of locally delivered statins in spinal fusion.
methodsWe formulated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles by adapting previously published techniques. Two types of nanoparticles were created: simvastatin nanoparticles (SimNP) and nanoparticles without simvastatin (BlankNP). Drug elution from SimNP was characterized. Osteoblastic differentiation was analyzed using MC3T3-E1 cells cultured in differentiation medium containing SimNP or BlankNP. Forty male 12 week old outbred Wistar rats underwent uninstrumented posterolateral fusion using iliac crest bone graft and BlankNP, SimNP or simvastatin drug. X-rays to assess bone formation were obtained at 4 weeks and 9 weeks post-operatively. Spines were explanted at 9 weeks for micro-CT analysis, and a blinded manual assessment of fusion (MAF).
resultsSimNP achieved a release efficiency of 74.1% with ∼50% release occurring in the first day. Simvastatin and SimNP treated cells showed significantly greater expression of osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OCN). On micro-CT analysis, SimNP animals had higher bone volume and percent bone volume (bone volume/total volume) than control animals. SimNP rats had higher X-ray scores at 4 weeks (p=0.010) and 9 weeks (p<0.001) relative to BlankNP. MAF showed that SimNP had a higher fusion rate than BlankNP (42.9% vs. 0%, p=0.006).
conclusionWe were able to validate that sustained release of simvastatin via a PLGA nanoparticle. SimNP was able to induce an increase in mineralization as well as an increase in markers of bone formation. X-ray analysis, micro-CT quantification, and MAF assessment of SimNP treated rats showed significantly greater bone formation and fusion mass strength relative to vehicle treated animals. Simvastatin may be a safe, cost-effective bone anabolic agent for use in spinal fusion. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.
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