Heel Pain May Point to Cholesterol Trouble
NY (Reuters Health) 3/14/06

 Dr. Paul N. Durrington from the Manchester Royal Infirmary, UK, and team, studied 133 patients diagnosed with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), a condition in which a gene mutation compromises the body’s ability to remove cholesterol from the blood stream. The investigators checked to see how many of the subjects had experienced Achilles tendon pain prior to diagnosis and compared the results to the occurrence of Achilles tendon pain in 87 of their domestic partners. The researchers found that 47% of the patients with HeFH had experienced at least one episode of Achilles tendon pain lasting more than three days, compared with only 7% of the partners. The scientists explain that untreated HeFH may cause cholesterol to be deposited in tendons, leading to swelling and painful inflammation.  They suggest that patients with Achilles tendon pain lasting 3 days or more be routinely checked for this inherited condition, which can also lead to cardiovascular problems.

(Annals of Rheumatic Disease, March 2006)