Transient global amnesia associated with statin intake

This paper was published in the British Medical Journal Case Reports 2009;2009. pii: bcr06.2008.0033

Study title and authors:

Transient global amnesia associated with statin intake.

Healy D, Morgan R, Chinnaswamy S.

Cardiff University, Psychological Medicine, Hergest Unit, Bangor, LL57 2PW, U K.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21686951

A 57-year-old man treated with statins developed a range of amnestic features that led to concerns he might be suicidal; however, he did not appear to have depression. His problems began after starting rosuvastatin and cleared on discontinuation.

The 57-year-old man mentioned above is only one case. To see more evidence of the relationship between statins and transient global amnesia visit the spacedoc website which is run by a retired family doctor Duane Graveline MD MPH.

In his career Dr Graveline was also a USAF Flight Surgeon and a NASA Astronaut.

Dr Graveline suffered from episodes of transient global amnesia after starting statin therapy. Read about his experience and the experiences of many others here.

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Low cholesterol levels are associated with meningococcal sepsis

This study was published in Critical Care Medicine 2005 Jul;33(7):1610-5

Study title and authors:
Serum lipids and disease severity in children with severe meningococcal sepsis.

Vermont CL, den Brinker M, Kâkeci N, de Kleijn ED, de Rijke YB, Joosten KF, de Groot R, Hazelzet JA.
Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, Sophia, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16003070

Meningococcal sepsis is where bacteria has invaded the bloodstream. This results in fever, irritability, headaches and a stiff neck. Once the bacteria is in the blood, it begins to attack organs and cause internal bleeding and can be fatal within a matter of  hours.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of cholesterol levels in children with severe meningococcal sepsis. The study included 57 patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with meningococcal sepsis or septic shock.

The study found:
(a) Cholesterol levels on admission to the pediatric intensive care unit were very low in all patients.
(b) Cholesterol levels were significantly lower in nonsurvivors than in survivors.
(c) The lower the cholesterol levels - the more severe the illness.

The results of the study show that low cholesterol levels are associated with meningococcal sepsis and the lower the cholesterol are - the more severe the disease is.

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Rising cholesterol levels predict survival, whilst falling cholesterol levels predicts death in people who have suffered severe injuries

This study was published in Critical Care 2003 Dec;7(6):R145-53

Study title and authors:

Following severe injury, hypocholesterolemia improves with convalescence but persists with organ failure or onset of infection.

Dunham CM, Fealk MH, Sever WE 3rd.

Assistant Director, Trauma/Critical Care Services, St, Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown, Ohio, USA. Michael_Dunham@hmis.org

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14624689

The objective of the study was to determine the association of cholesterol levels and severe traumatic injury. The study included 28 severely injured trauma patients.

The study found:
(a) The cholesterol levels in those who survived their severe injuries increased by 28%.
(b) The cholesterol levels of those who died of their severe injuries decreased by 33%.

The resulys of the study show that a rising cholesterol level predicts survival, and a falling cholesterol level predicts death in people who have suffered severe injuries.

Links to other studies:
A review of 150 studies finds an association between low cholesterol and death from injury
Lowering cholesterol levels lead to an increase in death from accidents, suicide, and violence

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The adverse health effects of low cholesterol

This paper was published in Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao (Journal of Peking University) 2010 Oct 18;42(5):612-5

Study title and authors:
Primary and secondary hypocholesterolemia

Song JX, Ren JY, Chen H.
Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20957025

In this review of the literature Song examines the influence of low cholesterol levels (hypocholesterolemia) on health.

He found:
(a) Low cholesterol levels are common in the population.
(b) Physicians pay little attention to the diseases, causes and consequences of low cholesterol in clinical practice.
(c) Low cholesterol levels can result in some adverse events, such as increased death rates, intracerebral hemorrhage, cancer, infection, adrenal failure, suicide and mental disorder.
(d) Despite the adverse health consequences of low cholesterol, physicians are increasingly prescribing cholesterol lowering treatments such as statin drugs.

With all the adverse health effects of low cholesterol Song concludes: "It's high time that physicians attached more importance to hypocholesterolemia."

Links to other studies:
Stroke patients with low cholesterol are more likely to die and have poor neurological outcomes
Low cholesterol levels lead to a 20.2% increase in death rates in those who have had a stroke
Low cholesterol and serious complications after an ischemic stroke

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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

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Low cholesterol levels associated with fatigue and depression

This study was published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research 2002 Feb;52(2):61-3

Study title and authors:

Cholesterol and mood states at 3 days after delivery.

Nasta MT, Grussu P, Quatraro RM, Cerutti R, Grella PV.

Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11832250

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between cholesterol and mood states in women immediately following childbirth. The study included 72 women who had their mood analysed and cholesterol levels measured three days after giving birth.

The study found that women with lower cholesterol levels immediately following childbirth had major feelings of fatigue and a depressed mood.

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Aspirin use is associated with a significantly increased risk of pancreatic cancer

This study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2004 Jan 7;96(1):22-8

Study title and authors:

A prospective study of aspirin use and the risk of pancreatic cancer in women.

Schernhammer ES, Kang JH, Chan AT, Michaud DS, Skinner HG, Giovannucci E, Colditz GA, Fuchs CS.

Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. eva.schernhammer@channing.harvard.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14709735

The study examined the relationship between aspirin use and the development of pancreatic cancer. The study included 88,378 women over a 18 year period.

The study found:
(a) Women who took 2 or more standard aspirin tablets per week had a 20% increased risk of pancreatic cancer compared to women who took fewer than 2 aspirins per week.
(b) Compared to women that have never had aspirin;
(i) women who had 1-3 tablets a week had an 11% increase in pancreatic cancer
(ii) women who had 4-6 tablets a week had an 29% increase in pancreatic cancer
(iii) women who had 7-13 tablets a week had an 41% increase in pancreatic cancer
(iv) women who had over 14 tablets a week had an 86% increase in pancreatic cancer
(c) Women who reported more than 20 years of regular aspirin use had a 58% increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

The study shows that regular aspirin use is associated with a significantly increased risk of pancreatic cancer among women.

Links to other studies:
Does aspirin increase the risk of heart disease and stroke?
Ibuprofen increases the risk of breast cancer by 51%
Statins increase the risk of colon adenomas by 54%

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