Jia Wang¹, Zhong-xin Hong^1,

Background: Decreased concentrations of total cholesterol concentration could occur in the course of some illness, especially the infection illness. Low cholesterol concentration has been associated clinically with several adverse outcomes. We conducted a study to supplement cholesterol, and observe the change on the test indexes and the severity of disease. We then further discussed the relationships among the supplementation on cholesterol and pro- and anti- inflammatory cytokines. Methods: A randomized and controlled clinical trial was conducted at the infectious disease department in Beijing Friendship Hospital，Capital Medical University，Beijing. Between January 2011 and December 2012, all hospitalized patients with pulmonary infection were invited. The patients were assigned into intervention group and control group randomly. After 10-day supplementation and observation, we analyzed the changes of clinical measurements. Results: In the intervention group, there were statistically significant increases in concentration of total cholesterol (TC), albumin (ALB), pre albumin ( PA) after 10-day intervention of cholesterol supplementation (P<0.05). The concentration of C reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the severity of disease by Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPSII) assessment after intervention were significant lower than those before intervention (P<0.05). The concentration of interleukin-10 (IL-10) increased in a trend (P=0.074), but had no significant difference. In the control group, the data showed that TC, PA and CRP had changes in trend after 10-day observation (P<0.1), but the changes had no significance (P>0.05). Compared the differences on indexes between after 10-day intervention in intervention group and after 10-day observation in control group, the compared data showed that there were significant differences in seven indexes, TC, Body Mass Index (BMI), ALB, PA, CRP, IL-6 and the severity of disease (P<0.05). The increased concentrations of TC, ALB and PA in intervention group were more than those changes in control group. The BMI in intervention group was increased more than that in control group. The decreased concentrations of CRP and IL-6 in intervention group were more than those changes in control group. The improvement of severity of disease in intervention group was more obvious than that in control group. The improvement of nutrition status in intervention group was significant. Conclusion: Infectious disease, especially pneumonia and pulmonary infection disease, can lead to hypocholesterolemia. Supplementation of cholesterol properly can improve the nutritional status, decrease the severity of disease, and improve the prognosis of disease.

hypocholesterolemia, pulmonary infection, nutritional status, severity of disease