Association of low cholesterol with primary intracerebral haemorrhage: a case control study

• Published in: Acta neurologica Scandinavica Vol. 119; no. 3; pp. 151 - 154
• Main Authors: Orken, D. N., Kenangil, G., Celik, M., Mail, Z., Kayaalp, H., Erginoz, E., Forta, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2009; Blackwell
• Subjects: Aged; Anticholesteremic Agents; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cerebral Hemorrhage - blood; Cerebral Hemorrhage - epidemiology; Cholesterol - blood; Comorbidity; Contraindications; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Hypertension - epidemiology; hypocholesterolaemia; Incidence; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Nervous system as a whole; Neurology; primary intracerebral haemorrhage; Prospective Studies; Risk; risk factor; Turkey - epidemiology; hypocholesterolaemia; primary intracerebral haemorrhage; Nervous system diseases; Lipids; Metabolic diseases; Cardiovascular disease; Case control study; Cholesterol; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Association; Hypocholesterolemia; Cerebral hemorrhage; Central nervous system disease; Risk factor; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 0001-6314; 1600-0404
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2008.01083.x

Objectives –  Epidemiological studies have shown that the incidence of intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is high in patients with low cholesterol levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between ICH and low cholesterol in cases of primary ICH. Material and methods –  Two hundred and fifty‐nine patients with primary intracerebral haemorrhage and 137 healthy individuals were included in this study. Patients with prior cerebrovascular accident, secondary ICH, hereditary lipid metabolism disorders, thyroid diseases and those using lipid‐lowering drugs were excluded. In all subjects, cholesterol levels were measured after 12 h of fasting. Results –  Mean cholesterol levels were 205.8 ± 51.4 mg/dl in the ICH group and 230.2 ± 38.9 mg/dl in the control group. Mean cholesterol levels of patients were significantly lower than the controls (P < 0.000). In ICH group, the frequency of patients who had very low cholesterol levels was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.000). Conclusions –  Individuals with lower cholesterol levels have an increased risk of ICH. Therefore, before treatment with statins, clinicians must be aware of the possible ICH risk.