[Extreme decrease of serum total cholesterol and other lipid levels in elderly inpatients].
In this study 112 elderly inpatients (55 men, 57 women) were recruited. 1. Twelve elderly inpatients (5 men, 7 women) aged 82.5 +/- 7.4 years (M +/- SD) were investigated during 3 periods of dietary intake: good intake (period I), tube nutrition (period II) and fasting with intravenous fluid infusion (period III). Calorie, protein, carbohydrate, fat and cholesterol intakes were greater in period I than in periods II and III. Serum total and LDL cholesterols were lowest in period III, when serum HDL cholesterol, triglyceride and total protein were lower in period III than in period I. 2. One hundred elderly inpatients (50 men, 50 women) were divided into 4 groups according to type of decreased serum lipid and a control group. Serum total cholesterol only was decreased in group I, both serum total and HDL cholesterols were decreased in group II, both serum total cholesterol and triglyceride were decreased in group III, all 3 lipids were decreased in group IV and lipid levels did not change in the control group. There were 5 patients in group I, 28 patients in group II, 20 patients in group III, 27 patients in group IV and 20 patients in the control group. The patient's age ranged from 80.3 to 88.4 years and body mass index ranged from 14.7 to 18.4 kg/m2. Serum total protein decreased significantly in groups II-IV, to 5.6 to 5.7 g/dl. Serum total protein, and total cholesterol correlated positively (r = 0.525, p < 0.01), as did Calorie ingestion and serum total cholesterol levels (r = 0.554, p < 0.001). Therefore, severe hypocholesterolemia was accompanied by malnutrition and a decrease in Calorie or cholesterol intake. Serum total cholesterol levels during observation decreased most in group IV, followed by group II similar to serum HDL cholesterol levels. The amount of nutrient intake was smallest in group IV resulting in an extreme lowering of all 3 serum lipid levels.
Saito
N
N
Department of Internal Medicine and Adult Disease Research, Miyazaki Aiwa Hospital.
Doi
Y
Y
Aomi
H
H
Nagatomo
H
H
Nakajima
I
I
Murata
T
T
Tsutsumi
T
T
Sayama
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status
D001798:Blood Proteins; D008055:Lipids; D002784:Cholesterol