The British Journal of Psychiatry 145: 59-61 (1984)
© 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Hypocholesterolaemia in cancer and other causes of death in the mentally handicapped
J Jancar, RD Eastham and G Carter
Serum cholesterol levels were estimated in 313 mentally handicapped
patients who subsequently died from various causes. Although cholesterol
levels in the mentally handicapped are lower than those in the general
population, it was found that there was still an association between
relatively low serum cholesterol values and mortality due to cancer of the
colon. Similarly, patients who died from myocardial infarction had
relatively high serum cholesterol levels. The mechanism of the relationship
between hypocholesterolaemia and cancer of the colon is unclear, but the
increasing longevity of the mentally handicapped is an important factor
which has contributed to a rising incidence of cancers, particularly
gastrointestinal forms, in this group.