High LDL cholesterol helps you live longer

This study was published in Atherosclerosis 2015 Jan 14;239(1):137-142

 

Study title and authors:

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was inversely associated with 3-year all-cause mortality among Chinese oldest old: Data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.

Lv YB, Yin ZX, Chei CL, Qian HZ, Kraus VB, Zhang J, Brasher MS, Shi XM, Matchar DB, Zeng Y.

Division of Non-Communicable Disease Control and Community Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25602855

This study examined the relationship between LDL-Cholesterol and all-cause mortality among the elderly. The study included 935 participants, aged 80 and older, who were followed for three years.

The study found:
(a) Each 1 mmol/L (38 mg/dL) increase of LDL-Cholesterol concentration corresponded to a 19% decreased risk of death. 
(b) Those with a LDL-Cholesterol concentration of more than 3.37 mmol/L (130 mg/dL) had a 40% decreased risk of death. 

The researchers concluded: "Higher LDL-Cholesterol level was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality. Our findings suggested the necessity of re-evaluating the optimal level of LDL-Cholesterol among the oldest old".