30% higher death rate for men with falling cholesterol levels

This study was published in Circulation 1995 Nov 1;92(9):2396-403

Study title and authors:
Low serum cholesterol and mortality. Which is the cause and which is the effect?
Iribarren C, Reed DM, Chen R, Yano K, Dwyer JH.
Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7586337

This study investigated the association of falling cholesterol levels and death rates. The study included 5,941 men aged 45 to 68 years of age who were followed for 16 years.

The researchers found:
(a) The death rate was 30% higher among persons with a decline from middle levels of cholesterol (180 to 239 mg/dL or 4.6 mmol/l to 6.1 mmol/l) to low levels of cholesterol (less than 180 mg/dL or 4.6 mmol/l) than in persons remaining at a stable middle levels of cholesterol.
(b) The death rate was 8% lower among persons with an increase from middle levels of cholesterol (180 to 239 mg/dL or 4.6 mmol/l to 6.1 mmol/l) to high levels of cholesterol (more than 240 mg/dL or 6.1 mmol/l) than in persons remaining at a stable middle levels of cholesterol.

The results of this study indicate that falling cholesterol levels are associated with higher death rates whilst increasing cholesterol levels are associated with lower death rates.

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