Low cholesterol is associated with higher death rates in hospital patients

This study was published in the Annals of Clinical Biochemistry 1999 Sep;36 ( Pt 5):613-6

Study title and authors:

Hypocholesterolaemia in a hospital population.

Crook MA, Velauthar U, Moran L, Griffiths W.

Department of Chemical Pathology, Lewisham Hospital, London, UK.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10505211

The study examined the effects of low cholesterol in patients admitted to a hospital. 57 patients, average age 53, with various conditions and diseases were identified with cholesterol levels less than 3.0 mmol/L (116 mg/dL).

The study found:
(a) 18% of the patients with cholesterol levels less than 3.0 mmol/L (116 mg/dL) died during their hospitalization.
(b) 39% of the patients with cholesterol levels less than 2.0 mmol/L (77 mg/dL) died during their hospitalization.
(c) 71% of the patients with cholesterol levels less than 1.5 mmol/L (58 mg/dL) died during their hospitalization.

The findings of this study show low cholesterol is associated with higher death rates in hospital patients.

Links to other studies:
20 year study shows those with the lowest cholesterol levels have a 35% increase in death rates compared to those with the highest cholesterol
Older people with the highest cholesterol live the longest
30% higher death rate for men with falling cholesterol levels