Summary - Total cholesterol and all-cause mortality by sex and age

Key points from the text :

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-38461-y

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Key Findings

U-shaped relationship: The study found a U-shaped relationship between total cholesterol (TC) levels and mortality. This means that both very low and very high TC levels are associated with higher mortality rates.
Optimal TC range: The study suggests that the optimal TC range for overall survival is between 210-249 mg/dL for most age groups, except for younger adults.
Age and sex differences: The optimal TC range varies by age and sex. Younger adults (18-34 years) have lower optimal TC ranges, while older adults have higher optimal ranges.
Low TC levels not always good: The study found that TC levels below 200 mg/dL may not necessarily be a sign of good health. In fact, low TC levels were associated with higher mortality rates in some age groups.

Cholesterol guidelines: The study suggests that current cholesterol guidelines, which recommend a TC range of <200 mg/dL as desirable, may not be applicable to all populations.
Diseases associated with low TC: The study highlights the need to identify and manage diseases associated with low TC levels, which may improve survival rates.
Individualized approach: The study suggests that a more individualized approach to managing cholesterol levels may be necessary, taking into account age, sex, and other factors.

Medication use: The study did not account for the use of lipid-lowering medication, which may have affected the results.
Limited generalizability: The study was conducted in a Korean population, and the results may not be generalizable to other ethnic groups.