American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 20, 1113-1117, Copyright © 1967 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Relationship between Serum Lipids and Aortic Atherosclerotic Lesions in Sudden Accidental Deaths in Guatemala City

¹ From the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP), Guatemala, Central America

Postmortem blood samples were collected from 43 individuals, who died suddenly in accidents in Guatemala City, within 2-5 hr after death. Aortas and coronary arteries were obtained for staining and grading.

No significant correlation was found between the extent of the lipid streak or fibrous plaque lesions in the aorta and either serum cholesterol or lipid phosphorus concentration, or serum cholesterol-to-lipid phosphorus ratio. Correlation with the coronary lesions could not be calculated due to the small number of cases presenting such lesions. Although there was no correlation between serum lipid levels at death and aortic atherosclerotic lesions, it is recognized that the lipid levels of an earlier period in the subject's life might have had a more significant influence.

The postmortem serum cholesterol levels of nine patients dying in the hospital were abnormally low in some cases, because of the specific cause of death, time of prior hospitalization and, in particular, of the agonal period suffered before death. These cases need to be eliminated from any study of the relationship between serum lipid levels and atherosclerosis.