HEALTH-BASED REFERENCE VALUES OF THE MINI-FINLAND HEALTH SURVEY .2. CHOLESTEROL IN TOTAL SERUM AND IN DIFFERENT LIPOPROTEIN FRACTIONS

The reference values for cholesterol concentrations in the whole serum and in its VLDL, LDL and HDL fractions have been produced based on th e data obtained in the Mini-Finland Health Survey. The lipoprotein fra ctions were separated with ultracentrifugation. The aim was to obtain reference values for the apparently healthy, ambulatory population. Tw o health-derived criteria were used to select subjects for reference p opulations: those based on the literature available and those based on the recommendations published by the Committee on Reference Values of the Scandinavian Society for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Physiolo gy, with slight modifications. The 95% inner reference intervals of to tal serum cholesterol in all the subjects and in the two selection gro ups were 4.2-9.0, 4.2-8.4, and 4.2-8.5 mmoll-1 for men, and 4.2-9.4, 4 .1-8.6, and 4.2-9.0 mmoll-1 for women, respectively. The corresponding medians were 6.3, 6.2 and 6.2 mmoll-1 in men, and 6.4, 6.0 and 6.1 mm oll-1 in women, respectively. Frequency distribution curves showed cle ar skewness to the right in VLDL cholesterol and slight skewness in LD L and HDL cholesterol. In women there was a clear rise in total, VLDL and LDL cholesterol after the early middle age, whereas HDL cholestero l was lower in the older age groups. In men the age dependency was not as prominent; total cholesterol levels showed lower levels in older m en. Of the background lifestyle factors alcohol consumption, smoking, obesity and physical exercise had negligible associations with total, VLDL, LDL and HDL cholesterol reference intervals.