title: The possible association of decreased total cholesterol and severity of disease in elderly hospitalized patients.
abstract: The object of our study was to determine if any association exists between low serum cholesterol (< 4.14 mmol/l) and adverse outcomes in elderly patients > 60 years. Patients with low serum cholesterol were compared to a patient population with high serum cholesterol (> 6.22 mmol/l) and normal cholesterol (> or = 4.14 to < or = 6.22 mmol/l). Only hospitalized patients > 60 years, who were not on cholesterol lowering drugs, and did not have cardiovascular or liver disease were included in this study. The study group was 157 patients (79 with low, 78 with high, and 23 with normal cholesterol concentrations). Using the Kruskal-Wallis tests, the low cholesterol group was found to have statistically (p < 0.05) longer length of stay (average difference of > 11.1 days), higher hospital re-admission rate over a 1-year period (average difference of > 0.4 re-admissions), greater use of acute care services (average difference of > 0.6 days), and more emergency room (ER) visits over 1 year (average difference of > 0.5 admissions).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0551, USA. jrpeters@utmb.edu
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Linde
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bissell
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol