CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN NORMAL IRISH ADULTS - THE MATER HOSPITAL CHOLESTEROL SCREENING SURVEY

Serum samples from 954 Irish adults (604 males, 350 females) aged 18 t o 65 years were analyzed within 24 hours of receipt for non-fasting to tal serum cholesterol levels, The subjects were volunteer blood donors (Blood Transfusion Service Board, Pelican House, Dublin) presenting f rom June 1990 to February 1991. Serum cholesterol increased significan tly with age in both males and females, Mean serum cholesterol in male s increased from 4.5 (+/-0.9) mmol/l in those <25 gears, to 5.7 (+/-1. 0) mmol/l at age 55-64 years, In females, mean serum cholesterol incre ased from 4.3 (+/-0.9) mmol/l less than 25 years to 6.2 (+/-0.8) mmol/ l at age 55-64 years, Options for reporting cholesterol ranges are dis cussed, The overall mean cholesterol concentration of 5.1 mmol/l seen in this study is lower than that reported for comparable studies of U. K. and American subjects, but higher than observed in Japanese individ uals. Almost 48% of the studied population had a serum cholesterol val ue less than 5 mmol/l and over 56% had levels less than 5.2 mmol/l.