[Usefulness of serum cholesterol and triglycerides assay in nutritional assessment. A study on 58 light-moderate malnourished patients].

BACKGROUND

Few data exist about plasma lipids in malnourished patients. Published studies have shown low cholesterol and normal or high triglycerides concentrations in an extreme energy deficiency in subjects with marasmus. Few studies in less severely malnourished patients show low serum cholesterol concentrations in malnourished elderly and surgical subjects (with cancer or benign diseases), hypercholesterolemia in anorexia nervosa; no data exist about triglyceridemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of serum cholesterol and trigliceride assays in nutritional assessment in light-moderate malnourished patients.

METHODS

Light-moderate malnourished subjects (BMI >15 eor=10 % e <20%), admitted to our nutritional and dietetic consulting room in 1994-95, were examined; patients with renal and liver diseases, pancreatic deficiency, malabsorption, endocrine-metabolic diseases interfering with lipid metabolism were excluded; 58 subjects, 40 males 18 females according to criteria for inclusion, entered the study. They were examined for levels of total cholesterol (Ct t), HDL, triglycerides (Tg) and anthropometric-laboratory measurements of nutritional assessment (total proteins, albumin, transferrin, pseudocolynesterasis, weight, height, triceps skinfold, midarm muscle circumference, BMI, weight loss %, midarm muscle area). Infor-med consent was obtained prior to entry into the study. Pearson correlation test was used to estimate the degree of association between total cholesterol, HDL, Tg and anthropometric-laboratory indexes evaluated.

RESULTS

A significant negative correlation (p<0.05) in patients between Ct t and weight loss % was found; there was a significant positive correlation between Ct t, HDL and total proteins (respectively p<0.01; p<0.05), albumin (p<0.05), pseudocolynesterasis (p<0.01; p<0.05); there was no correlation between Tg and anthropometric-laboratory indexes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show in mild-moderate malnourished subjects observed in the study, the utility of cholesterol assay, since correlated with weight loss % and laboratory measurements of nutritional assessment. Unclear is the usefulness of Tg assay.