Abstract
The purpose of this study was to observe the prevalence of hypocholesterolaemia in a hospital population and also the causes and clinical outcome of this condition. Fifty-seven patients were found with a plasma cholesterol of ≤3·0 mmol/L, which was less than 0·50% of all plasma cholesterol requests; there were 39 men and 18 women (P<0·05, Chi-squared test). The mean age was 53·8 [21·3] (range 3–83 years). The mean plasma cholesterol concentration was 2·28 [0·56] mmol/L (1·16–3·0) and the mean triglyceride concentration was 1·58 [1·09] mmol/L (0·49–7·35).
There was a significant correlation between plasma cholesterol concentration and plasma albumin (Rs = 0·48, P < 0·01) and between plasma total protein concentration (Rs = 0·49, P < 0·01). However, there was no relationship between the concentrations of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride (Rs = −0·10, P > 0·05).
Eighteen per cent of patients with hypocholesterolaemia died during their hospitalization. Thirty-nine per cent of those who had a plasma cholesterol of ≤2·0 mmol/L died whereas 71% of those who had a plasma cholesterol concentration of < 1·5 mmol/L died. Hypocholesterolaemia was more commonly seen in the intensive care unit and in post-operative patients, those with malignancy, sepsis, acute myocardial infarction, those who had inflammatory bowel disease and diabetics on insulin. Hypocholesterolaemia may be a useful predictor of mortality in hospital patients.