The “cholesterol paradox” among inpatients – retrospective analysis of medical documentation

Abstract

Introduction

There is evidence of positive relationships between cholesterol concentration and risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, higher mortality in patients with a low cholesterol level has been reported (the “cholesterol paradox”).

Material and methods

Medical records of 34 191 inpatients between 2014 and 2016 were reviewed and the relationships between total (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) cholesterol and triglyceride blood concentrations and all-cause in-hospital death and readmission within 14 and 30 days and 1 year were determined in univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

Patients with TC in the lower quartile and LDL-C < 70 mg/dl had greater risk of the outcomes measured than individuals with a TC level in the remaining quartiles and LDL-C ≥ 70 mg/dl. Moreover, patients with TC in the highest quartile, OR (95% CI): 0.36 (0.13–0.99), p < 0.05, and LDL-C ≥ 115 mg/dl, OR (95% CI): 0.53 (0.37–0.77), p < 0.05, had the lowest all-cause in-hospital mortality. However, multivariate analysis using logistic regression and a Cox proportional hazard model showed no significant influence of blood lipid levels on the occurrence of the outcomes measured.

Conclusions

A significant effect of a “cholesterol paradox” linking better prognosis with higher blood lipid concentration was found only in univariate analysis but, after adjustment for clinical characteristics in multivariate analysis, the plasma lipid level had a neutral influence on the occurrence of the measured outcomes. This suggests that a low cholesterol level should be interpreted as a biomarker of illness severity.