The Interrelationships of Serum Lipids in Men and Women Past Sixty-Five Years of Age and Their Bearing on Atherosclerosis

Abstract

The interrelationships of serum lipids, that is, free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, total cholesterol, lipid phosphorus, total lipids, neutral fats and S_f 10-20 molecules were determined in 91 women and 38 men past the age of 65 years. It was observed that all the serum lipids with the exception of neutral fats were statistically higher in the women. Furthermore, it was shown that the serum total cholesterol and serum S_f 10-20 molecules were correlated to a significant degree in the men, 0.59 ± .15, but to an insignificant degree in the women, 0.21 ± .12. It was also shown that the levels of serum total cholesterol and S_f 10-20 molecules increase with age within the age range 65 to 85 in the women but remain stationary or actually decrease in the men. The bearing of these findings on atherosclerogenesis is discussed.