Hypocholesterolemia: prevalence, diagnostic and prognostic value. Study in a department of internal medicine
Lévesque, H.; Gancel, A.; Pertuet, S.; Czernichow, P.; Courtois, H.
Presse Medicale 20(39): 1935-1938
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0755-4982 PMID: 1837087 Document Number: 381438
Serum cholesterol was measured in all patients admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine over one year. 6.2 percent had hypocholesterolaemia defined as total serum cholesterol level below 4 mmol/l. Comparison with non-hypocholesterolaemic patients showed male predominance and indirect arguments for increased morbidity: longer duration of hospital stay, greater number of rehospitalizations, greater number of associated diseases. In over a quarter of the cases, hypocholesterolaemia was associated with malignant disease. These results should entice physicians to caution when finding a low serum cholesterol level: this could be a marker of associated disease, especially malignant.