Hypocholesterolaemia in a Hospital Population

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 < or = 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 < or = 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.