Simvastatin Treatment to Improve Patient-reported Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis — ongoing inflammation of the pancreas — causes persistent pain that can be debilitating and is poorly managed by current treatments. There is growing evidence that statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs commonly used for heart disease) may reduce inflammation in the pancreas due to their anti-inflammatory properties. This study tests whether simvastatin, a widely used statin, can reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with recurrent acute or chronic pancreatitis. The study is open to adults aged 18–75 with a confirmed diagnosis of recurrent acute or chronic pancreatitis not caused by gallstones, medication, trauma, or autoimmune disease, who are not currently taking a statin. Participants must be able to swallow pills and use contraception if of reproductive potential. Exclusions include pregnancy, autoimmune or traumatic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer or precancerous conditions, HIV/AIDS, organ transplant history, and needing certain drugs that interact with simvastatin. Participants take simvastatin or a placebo daily and are followed with pain questionnaires, quality of life scales, and blood tests. This research is important because chronic pancreatitis pain is notoriously treatment-resistant, and repurposing an inexpensive and well-understood drug like simvastatin could provide a meaningful new option for these patients.