Low Cholesterol Good for Vessels but Bad for Nerves?

A cross-sectional, prospective cohort study in Germany suggests that low serum cholesterol levels in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). The study included 100 T2D patients (mean age 64.6 years; 68 male) from June 1, 2015, to March 31, 2018. Quantification of the nerve’s diameter and lipid equivalent lesion (LEL) load was by magnetic resonance neurography of the right leg. The LEL load correlated positively with the nerve’s mean cross-sectional area (r = 0.44) and the maximum length of a lesion (r = 0.71). The LEL load was negatively associated with total serum cholesterol level (r = −0.41), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (r = −0.30), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (r = −0.33), nerve conduction velocities of the tibial (r = −0.33) and peroneal (r = −0.51) nerves, and nerve conduction amplitudes of the tibial (r = −0.31) and peroneal (r = −0.28) nerves. The findings suggest that low serum cholesterol levels were associated with peripheral nerve swelling and a higher load of LELs, and that patients with very low serum cholesterol levels should be vigilant about the onset or deterioration of neuropathic symptoms. Source: https://jamanetwork.com/