Correlation study on elevated cholesterol level and the risk of relapse in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the association between the cholesterol level and disease relapse in patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD). Methods Clinical and biochemical data of 96 patients with NMOSD were retrospectively analyzed. According to disease relapses, NMOSD patients were divided into primary and relapse groups.Their clinical characteristics and cholesterol level were compared between the two groups.The correlation between cholesterol level and disease recurrence was analyzed by partial correlation adjusted for sex. Results Between the primary group and relapse group,there were statistically significant differences in gender(48.8% vs. 80%, P<0.05), cholesterol (CHO)(4.27±0.85 vs. 5.18±1.26)and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)level[2.37(0.90)vs. 3.00 (1.21)](P<0.001). There were no significant difference in age, upper respiratory infection, gastrointestinal tract, rate of higher cerebrospinal fluid protein, triglyceride (TG)and high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)(P>0.05). The percentage of recurrent patients in CHO normal and higher groups were 43.55% and 82.35% respectively, which was statistically significant difference between the two groups ( x2=13.51, P<0.01); The rate of relapse of LDL-C normal and higher groups were 47.69% and 75% respectively, which was statistically significant difference between the two groups ( x2=7.58,P<0.01).After adjusting for sex,CHO level was positively correlated with disease relapse(r=0.346,P<0.01),and LDL-C level also was positively correlated with disease relapse(r=0.380,P<0.01). Conclusion High CHO and LDL-C level may be associated with disease relapse, which has some clinical guiding significance for controlling CHO level in NMOSD patients.