| For medical practitioners and the general public - Cholesterol Journal Article Catalog. |
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| Serum cholesterol and impulsivity in a large sample of healthy young men Pozzi, F., A. Troisi, et al. (2003), Psychiatry Res 120(3): 239-45. Abstract: Studies that have investigated the association between cholesterol levels and impulsivity are relatively few in number and have yielded equivocal results. In this study, we investigated the relationship between impulsivity, depression and serum lipids total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides in a large sample (N=2051) of healthy young men who were remarkably homogeneous in terms of age, educational level, and socioeconomic conditions. Depression was assessed using the depression scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, and impulsivity was measured using the impulse control scale of the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ). We found that subjects with a low serum cholesterol, defined as the lowest tenth of the total cholesterol distribution (< or =3.7 mmol/l), scored significantly lower on the impulse control scale of the BFQ. There was no significant association between depression and cholesterol concentrations. In addition, in a multiple regression model, both lower levels of total cholesterol and higher levels of HDL cholesterol emerged as significant predictors of impulsivity. However, since the regression model accounted for only 0.6% of the variance in the score on the impulse control scale of the BFQ, the biological significance of these correlations was negligible. Taken together, these findings suggest that, in healthy young men, a relationship between cholesterol and impulsivity emerges only when the statistical analysis focuses on subjects with very low levels of cholesterol. |
| Serum cholesterol and impulsivity in personality disorders New, A. S., E. M. Sevin, et al. (1999), Psychiatry Res 85(2): 145-50. Abstract: Decreased serum cholesterol has been associated with impulsive aggressive behaviors. This study was designed to explore the relationship between serum cholesterol levels and measures of impulsive aggression in personality disordered patients. Forty-two personality disordered patients (14 borderline personality disorder, 28 other personality disorders) were included. Fasting serum cholesterol was measured by standard enzymatic assay. An ANOVA was performed with factors of gender and diagnosis, looking at two-way interactions between the factors and serum cholesterol. Patients with borderline personality disorder were found to have significantly lower serum cholesterol than non-borderline personality disorders. A significant interaction effect was also seen between gender and diagnosis with the male patients having lower cholesterol levels. This study suggests there may be a relationship between borderline personality disorder and low serum cholesterol. |
| Serum cholesterol and intellectual performance Muldoon, M. F., C. M. Ryan, et al. (1997), Psychosom Med 59(4): 382-7. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The current investigation sought to determine whether intellectual performance is related to serum lipid concentrations. METHODS: Subjects were 177 healthy, Caucasian adult males and females, aged 25 to 60 years, with widely varying total cholesterol concentrations. Crystallized intelligence was estimated from the Information and Vocabulary subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Revised (WAIS-R). Fluid intelligence was estimated from the WAIS-R Block Design subtest, and from a computerized version of the Letter Rotation test. RESULTS: Controlling for age, better performance on both Information and Vocabulary subtests was associated with lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations (r's = -.24 to -.35, p's <.005). In contrast, better performance on Block Design was correlated with higher total and LDL cholesterol (r's =.22 to.23, p's <.005). Letter rotation response latency was unrelated to serum lipids. CONCLUSION: These opposing relationships between serum cholesterol and different dimensions of intellectual performance, on the one hand, may reflect the propensity of knowledgeable individuals to consume low fat diets, and on the other hand, suggest that serum cholesterol concentration may be a correlate of brain nutrients important to mental efficiency. |
| Serum cholesterol and ischaemic heart disease Salminen, K. (1995), Eur J Clin Nutr 49(3): 221-4. |
| Serum cholesterol and ischaemic heart disease Wald, N. J. and M. R. Law (1995), Atherosclerosis 118 Suppl: S1-5. Abstract: A systematic examination of the evidence on the relationship between serum cholesterol and ischaemic heart disease shows conclusively that serum cholesterol reduction in populations with high rates of heart disease is an effective and safe method of reducing ischaemic heart disease rates. The relative protective effect is greater at younger ages (50% reduction at age 40 for a 0.6 mmol/l reduction in serum cholesterol declining to about 20% at age 70 or more). The absolute protective effect is greater if the disease is common because the effect of a give serum cholesterol reduction is proportional to the prevailing heart disease rate. The full effect of a serum cholesterol reduction is evident after about 5 years. The use of drugs of the 'statin' type can lower serum cholesterol by about 1.8 mmol/l, yielding a reduction in risk of about 60% at age 60. A diet typical in Japan would lower serum cholesterol by about 1.2 mmol/l and lead to a halving of the risk. Only modest serum cholesterol reductions (about 0.3 mmol/l) are generally achievable by individuals altering their diet independently of others and this is expected to lead to a 15% reduction in the risk of ischaemic heart disease at age 60. Larger reductions (about 0.6 mmol/l) require collective action over the supply and preparation of food which could reduce the risk by about 30%. Achieving the full impact of serum cholesterol reduction in a population will require a national nutritional policy. It is not something that can be effectively left to individual action. |
| Serum cholesterol and its components (high, low & very low density lipoproteins) in children of patients of myocardial infarction Bansal, P. and V. S. Singh (1991), J Postgrad Med 37(4): 190-7. Abstract: Total serum cholesterol and its components high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein were estimated in serum of 409 children (212 males and 197 females) of 189 patients with myocardial infarction (MI). The patients were divided into 2 groups--1. having MI before the age of 40 years and 2. having it after 40 years. Three hundred and nine children were of parents belonging to group 1 and 100 children were of parents from group 2. Lipid patterns of these children were compared. Comparison was also carried out in subgroups made as per the age and sex of the parents. It was concluded that the disease is more likely to transfer from young patients to their children. Both paternal as well as maternal effects exist in young patients of MI but the paternal effect is dominant. In children of parents having myocardial infarct at a latter age, maternal effect is predominant. The lipid patterns of male and female case-children were also compared with the respective controls. More significant differences in the levels were observed in male case-children indicating that the disease is more likely to transfer in male case-children. |
| Serum cholesterol and leptin levels in patients with borderline personality disorder Atmaca, M., M. Kuloglu, et al. (2002), Neuropsychobiology 45(4): 167-71. Abstract: The association between low or lowered cholesterol and impulsivity, aggressive behaviours and suicide remains controversial. In the present study, cholesterol and leptin levels of patients with borderline personality disorder in whom impulsivity, aggressive behaviours and suicide attempts are clearly established have been compared with those of healthy controls. The study group consisted of 16 patients with borderline personality disorder and 16 healthy controls. All patients were assessed with the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS), Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Fasting serum cholesterol and leptin levels were measured. The mean cholesterol and leptin levels of the patient group were significantly lower than those of the controls. Likewise, the patients with current suicidal thoughts and a history of suicide attempt had statistically significantly lower cholesterol and leptin levels compared with the patients without those features. There was an inverse correlation between both cholesterol and leptin levels, and impulsivity as determined by the BIS or aggression as determined by the BDHI, but no correlation between both cholesterol and leptin levels and the HDRS was found in the patients. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that the patients with borderline personality disorder have lower cholesterol and leptin levels than healthy controls. Low serum cholesterol and leptin levels are associated with all dimensions of the disorder - impulsivity, aggression and suicidality - but are not associated with the presence and the severity of comorbid depression. |
| Serum cholesterol and lipid peroxidation are decreased by melatonin in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats Hoyos, M., J. M. Guerrero, et al. (2000), J Pineal Res 28(3): 150-5. Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin, at pharmacological doses, on serum lipids of rats fed with a hypercholesterolemic diet. Therefore, different groups of animals were fed with either the regular Sanders Chow diet or a diet enriched in cholesterol. Moreover, animals were treated with or without melatonin in the drinking water for 3 months. We show that melatonin treatment did not affect the levels of cholesterol or triglycerides in rats fed with a regular diet. However, the increase in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol induced by a cholesterol-enriched diet was reduced significantly by melatonin administration. On the other hand, melatonin administration prevented the decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol induced by the same diet. No differences in the levels of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol and triglycerides were found. We also found that melatonin administration slightly decreased serum uric, bilirubin and increased serum glucose levels. Other biochemical parameters, including total proteins, creatinine, urea, phosphorus, calcium, glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT), acetyl cholinesterase (AcCho), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were not modified by melatonin treatment. Finally, lipid peroxidation (LPO) was studied in membranes of liver, brain, spleen, and heart as an index of membrane oxidative damage. Results show that hypercholesterolemic diet did not modify the LPO status in any of the tissues studied. However, chronic melatonin administration significantly decreased LPO. Results confirm that melatonin participates in the regulation of cholesterol metabolism and in the prevention of oxidative damage to membranes. |
| Serum cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations in mothers during and after prolonged exclusive lactation Kallio, M. J., M. A. Siimes, et al. (1992), Metabolism 41(12): 1327-30. Abstract: The effect of exclusive lactation on lipid levels was investigated by evaluating serum concentrations of total and lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and apoprotein (apo) B in mothers during and after exclusive, prolonged lactation. Serum total cholesterol concentrations were measured at delivery (n = 195), at 2 (n = 165), 6 (n = 119), 9 (n = 74), and 12 months (n = 32) of lactation, and 2 months (n = 27) after ending this exclusive lactation. In a subgroup of 34 mothers, serum levels of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein 2 (HDL2), HDL3, and LDL apo B were determined at 2, 6, 9, and 12 months of lactation. The mean value of serum total cholesterol concentrations decreased from 6.2 +/- 0.12 (SEM; n = 195) at delivery to 4.8 +/- 0.1 mmol/L (n = 116) at 6 months of exclusive lactation (P <.001). The average decrement in total cholesterol level was 0.80 mmol/L (P <.001) from delivery to 2 months of lactation and 0.55 mmol/L (P <.001) from 2 to 6 months of lactation, and levels were stable thereafter. In the 27 mothers who were exclusively breast-feeding their infants at 9 months of lactation and whose serum cholesterol levels were measured 2 months after the end of lactation, cholesterol levels increased rapidly to 5.7 +/- 0.21 mmol/L (P =.001). In the subgroup of 34 mothers who were examined more closely, the course just described was also true for serum TG, LDL and VLDL cholesterol, and LDL apo B levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) |
| Serum cholesterol and long-term death rates from suicide, accidents, or violence. Seven Countries Study Group Kromhout, D., M. B. Katan, et al. (1992), Lancet 340(8814): 317. |
| Serum cholesterol and long-term prognosis in middle-aged men with myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. A 16-year follow-up of the Primary Prevention Study in Goteborg, Sweden Rosengren, A., M. Hagman, et al. (1997), Eur Heart J 18(5): 754-61. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To compare the role of serum cholesterol in the long-term prognosis of men with a history of myocardial infarction, in men with clinical angina without myocardial infarction, and men without clinical coronary disease. METHODS: In the second screening of the Primary Prevention Study in Goteborg which comprised 7100 men aged 51 to 59 years at baseline in 1974-1977, 314 men with clinical angina but no myocardial infarction at baseline were identified and 195 men who had survived a myocardial infarction for 0 to 19 years (median 3 years). RESULTS: Of the men without clinical coronary disease at baseline and cholesterol at or below 5.2 mmol.l-1, 2.7 per 1000 observation years died from coronary disease compared to 8.5 per 1000 of the men with serum cholesterol of 7.2 mmol.l-1 or more. Corresponding figures for men with angina was 5.5 and 31.0 per 1000 observation years, and for men with prior myocardial infarction 19.8 and 58.3, respectively, per 1000. After adjustment for age, smoking, systolic blood pressure, body mass index and diabetes the risk of coronary death in men with serum cholesterol above 7.2 mmol.l-1 compared to below 5.2 mmol.l-1 was 2.42 (1.66-3.51) in healthy men, 4.82 (1.44-16.09) in men with angina, 2.70 (0.95-7.67) in survivors of myocardial infarction, and 4.07 (1.86-8.91) in the combined group of men with either angina or prior infarction. The strongest effect was seen during the first half of the follow-up, with an adjusted relative risk for high in relation to low serum cholesterol of 8.08 (1.95-33.55) in men with preexisting coronary disease. Non-coronary deaths varied little by serum cholesterol or coronary disease status at baseline. After 16 years, 76% of the healthy men with low cholesterol and 65% of healthy men with cholesterol above 7.2 mmol.l-1 were still alive. Of the men with prior myocardial infarction, 50% in the group with low cholesterol were alive after 16 years, as compared to 21% of those with high cholesterol. CONCLUSION: The long-term absolute risk of death in men with coronary disease and elevated serum cholesterol is very high. Implementation of lipid-lowering strategies shown to be efficacious is important in this high-risk group. |
| Serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as predictors of response to interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C Minuk, G. Y., S. Weinstein, et al. (2000), Ann Intern Med 132(9): 761-2. |
| Serum cholesterol and mortality among Japanese-American men. The Honolulu (Hawaii) Heart Program Stemmermann, G. N., P. H. Chyou, et al. (1991), Arch Intern Med 151(5): 969-72. Abstract: Hawaiian men of Japanese ancestry followed up for 18 or more years after a baseline examination showed a quadratic distribution of death rates at different levels of serum cholesterol. Mortality from cancer progressively decreased and mortality from coronary heart disease progressively increased with rising levels of serum cholesterol. There was a positive association between baseline serum cholesterol levels and deaths from coronary heart disease at 0 to 6 years, 7 to 12 years, and 13 years and longer after examination. The inverse relationship between cancer and serum cholesterol levels was stronger in the first 6 years than in the next 6 years and, although still inverse, lost statistical significance after 13 years. Cancers of the colon and lung showed the strongest association with low baseline serum cholesterol levels, while gastric or rectal cancer failed to show this association. Organ specificity and persistence of the inverse association beyond 6 years suggest that the nutritional demands of cancers may not entirely explain the inverse association with some cancers. The quadratic distribution of deaths in this cohort remained after coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer were removed from the analysis. For the entire period of observation, the lowest mortalities were found in men with serum cholesterol levels between 4.65 and 6.18 mmol/L (between 180 and 239 mg/dL). Manipulation of serum cholesterol levels below this level would not be desirable if this were to result in increased risk of death from cancer or other disease. This study does not rule out this possibility. |
| Serum cholesterol and mortality from coronary heart disease in young, middle-aged, and older men and women from three Chicago epidemiologic studies Dyer, A. R., J. Stamler, et al. (1992), Ann Epidemiol 2(1-2): 51-7. Abstract: The association of total serum cholesterol with mortality from coronary heart disease was examined in 1210 white men aged 42 to 60 in 1959 to 1963 and 1008 white men aged 45 to 64 in 1959 to 1969, followed up to 25 years from the Chicago Peoples Gas Company Study; in 1903 white men aged 41 to 57 in 1959, followed up to 24 years from the Chicago Western Electric Company Study; and in 17,880 white men aged 25 to 74 and 8327 white women aged 40 to 74 in 1967 to 1973, followed up to 18 years from the Chicago Heart Association Detection Project in Industry. In these studies total cholesterol level was related positively to coronary mortality in young men and in middle-aged and older men and women. Relative risks of mortality were generally higher in young and middle-aged persons compared to older persons, whereas absolute excess risks were generally greater in older than in younger persons. |
| Serum cholesterol and mortality in Finland Macnair, A. (1992), Bmj 305(6862): 1157. |
| Serum cholesterol and mortality in patients with multiple organ failure Fraunberger, P., D. Nagel, et al. (2000), Crit Care Med 28(10): 3574-5. |
| Serum cholesterol and mortality rates in a Native American population with low cholesterol concentrations: a U-shaped association Fagot-Campagna, A., R. L. Hanson, et al. (1997), Circulation 96(5): 1408-15. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Low serum cholesterol concentrations are associated with high death rates from cancer, trauma, and infectious diseases, but the meaning of these associations remains controversial. The present report evaluates whether low cholesterol is likely to be a causal factor for mortality from all causes or from specific causes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 4553 Pima Indians > or =20 years old, a population with low serum cholesterol (median, 4.50 mmol/L), 1077 deaths occurred during a mean follow-up of 12.8 years. Trauma was the most common cause. The relationship between serum cholesterol measured at 2-year intervals and age- and sex-standardized mortality rates was U-shaped. Cholesterol was related positively to mortality from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes (including nephropathy) and negatively to mortality from cancer and alcohol-related diseases. The relationship was U-shaped for mortality from infectious diseases, and cholesterol was not related to mortality from trauma. Change in cholesterol from one examination to the next was positively related to mortality from diabetes. In proportional-hazards models adjusted for potential confounders, the relationship between baseline cholesterol and mortality was U-shaped for all causes and diabetes and positive for cardiovascular diseases. Other relationships were nonsignificant. Among 3358 subjects followed > or =5 years, the relationship was significant and positive only for mortality from cardiovascular diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high exposure risk for Pima Indians, if low cholesterol level is a causal factor, the relationships between low serum cholesterol and high mortality rates probably result from diseases lowering cholesterol rather than from a low cholesterol causing the diseases. |
| Serum cholesterol and older people Cohen, D. L. and J. Mindell (1991), Br J Hosp Med 46(5): 323-5. Abstract: Serum cholesterol is positively associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) at all ages. Evidence from trials in middle-aged men with CHD suggests that morbidity and mortality can be reduced after only a few years of lipid-lowering treatment. Although older patients and women have not been included in these trials, both UK and USA expert committees' recommendations on measurement and reduction of cholesterol have not excluded such people. The literature on this issue is reviewed in order to put these recommendations into context. |
| Serum cholesterol and osteoarthritis. The baseline examination of the Ulm Osteoarthritis Study Sturmer, T., Y. Sun, et al. (1998), J Rheumatol 25(9): 1827-32. Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between serum cholesterol and osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: OA patterns were studied in 809 patients with knee or hip joint replacement due to OA in 4 hospitals in southwest Germany. Participants had a standardized interview and examination. Radiographs of the contralateral joint as well as both hands and a blood sample were obtained. Serum cholesterol levels were divided into tertiles and hypercholesterolemia was defined as > or = 6.2 mmol/l or use of antihyperlipidemic drugs. According to the presence or absence of radiographic OA in the contralateral joint, participants were categorized as having bilateral or unilateral OA. If radiographic OA of different finger joints was present, participants were categorized as having generalized OA. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association of serum cholesterol with OA patterns were calculated with logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Eighty-five percent of participants with radiographs had bilateral OA and 26% generalized OA. No association was observed between hypercholesterolemia and bilateral OA. Hypercholesterolemia (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.06-2.47) and high serum cholesterol levels (3rd versus 1st tertile: OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.02-2.92) were independently associated with generalized OA. This association was almost exclusively due to participants with knee OA. CONCLUSION: These data add to the evidence regarding the independent role of serum cholesterol as a systemic risk factor for OA. The discrepant associations observed for different OA patterns are likely due to the relative weight of other risk factors. |
| Serum cholesterol and parasuicide Famoroti, O. J. (2000), Br J Psychiatry 177: 468. |