Nightmares and serum cholesterol level: a preliminary report.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether there is a relation between nightmares and serum lipid levels.


METHODS
Fifteen subjects who met DSM-IV criteria for the diagnosis of nightmare disorder and 15 healthy control subjects participated in the study. We used an enzymatic colorimetric method for cholesterol and triglyceride determination. We measured high-density lipoprotien (HDL) cholesterol using the direct HDL-cholesterol method. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was calculated according to the Friedewald formula.


RESULTS
Patients with nightmare disorder had lower serum triglyceride, lower total cholesterol, and lower LDL levels than healthy control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that nightmares are associated with low serum lipid levels.
School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Research Unit, Yüzüncü Yil University, Van, Turkey. myagargun@kure.com.tr
Mehmet Yucel
MY
Agargun
Mustafa
M
Gulec
Ali Savas
AS
Cilli
Hayrettin
H
Kara
Ramazan
R
Sekeroglu
Haluk
H
Dulger
Lutfullah
L
Besiroglu
Rifat
R
Inci
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D004325:Dreams; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides