Low cholesterol levels associated with higher death rates in critically ill patients

This study was published in Shock 2014 Apr 10

 

Study title and authors:

Cholesterol Rather Than PCT or CRP Predicts Mortality in Patients With Infection.

Biller K, Fae P, Germann R, Drexel H, Walli AK, Fraunberger P.

Medical Central Laboratories, Feldkirch, Austria

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24727873

This study investigated the association between various factors and survival levels in critically ill patients admitted to an intensive care unit. The study included 76 patients.

Regarding cholesterol levels, the study found non survivors had significantly lower cholesterol levels compared to survivors.

Biller concluded: "Our data show, that low cholesterol levels in patients with infectious disease have a prognostic value and may be useful markers to identify high risk patients already at admission".