The impact of malaria on common lipid parameters.
No data are available in the literature to indicate whether low-level Plasmodium falciparum infections induce lipid parameter changes. We hypothesized that low-level P. falciparum infections induce significant changes in common lipid parameters. We retrospectively selected samples from a malaria prophylaxis study to measure the impact of sustained parasite clearance on common lipid parameters [total cholesterol (TChol), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (LDL-c) and triglycerides (TG)] in 47 apparently healthy schoolchildren whose P. falciparum parasitemia was initially below 1000/ microl. After parasite clearance, mean values were significantly increased for Tchol ( P<0.001) and HDL-c ( P<0.001), unlike LDL-c ( P=0.93); and TG were significantly decreased from the baseline ( P=0.004). No significant change was found in a control group. This is the first study showing significant lipid changes related to low-level P. falciparum infections. Further studies are needed to explore the relevance of this finding at the population level in hyperendemic malaria areas.
Faucher
Jean-François
JF
Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hospital St Jacques, cedex, France. jffaucher@chu-besancon.fr
Ngou-Milama
Edouard
E
Missinou
Michel Anoumou
MA
Ngomo
Raphaël
R
Kombila
Maryvonne
M
Kremsner
Peter G
PG
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D008055:Lipids; D002784:Cholesterol