CONCENTRATION OF CHOLESTEROL AND OF LIPID PHOSPHORUS IN BLOOD SERUM IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Abstract

HYPERCHOLESTEREMIA in multiple sclerosis has been reported by several investigators.¹ In three of these studies^1a-c the number of patients was too small to permit full confidence in the findings, and in two^1a,b the range of control serum-cholesterol concentrations with which the data from patients were compared was considerably below that which is usually accepted as normal. In one of these investigations^1c no control values were cited. Only one recent report^1d includes data on an acceptably large number of patients with multiple sclerosis. Average serum-cholesterol concentrations of 271, 267, and 230 mg. per 100 ml. were found, respectively, for 25 patients in relapse, 38 patients in remission, and 30 control subjects. The higher values for the patients were statistically significant, even though the average control concentration would be regarded by many as abnormally high. We were not satisfied that the available evidence was sufficient to establish