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Effect of Cholesterol on Mortality and Quality of Life up to a 46-Year Follow-Up
The American Journal of Cardiology, 08/31/2011
Hyttinen L et al. – A low total cholesterol value in midlife predicts both better survival and better physical functioning in old age.
Methods- A total of 3,277 healthy men without chronic diseases at baseline were included in the analyses.
- The median total cholesterol concentration at baseline was 6.5 mmol/L (251 mg/dl) (interquartile range 5.8 to 7.3 mmol/L, 224 to 282 mg/dl) and, in 2000, was 5.2 mmol/L (201 mg/dl) (interquartile range 4.6 to 5.9 mmol/L, 178 to 228 mg/dl).
- During the follow–up period, 1,773 men (54%) died.
- A strong and graded relation was found between the cholesterol level and total mortality, with the men with a cholesterol level ≤4 mmol/L (154 mg/dl) having the lowest mortality.
- In all, the men with the lowest cholesterol gained the most life years.
- However, no association was found with the cholesterol level in 2000 (when 16% were using statins) and subsequent mortality.
- The lowest (≤4 mmol/L) cholesterol value in midlife also predicted a higher score in the physical functioning scale of RAND–36 in old age.