Cholesterol levels in mood disorders: high or low?

Objectives: To assess cholesterol levels in patients with mood disorders.

Methods: All consecutively admitted patients meeting inclusion criteria (n = 50) who were hospitalized in an affective disorders unit received assessments of cholesterol levels. Correlations were made with diagnosis using DSM-IV criteria, current mood states, and other clinical and demographic features of illness. Exclusion criteria included current alcohol abuse, medical illnesses that could influence cholesterol levels, eating disorders, and age greater than 70 years.

Results: Cholesterol levels did not differ based on diagnostic status of unipolar depression or bipolar disorder. In the total sample, cholesterol levels were lower in patients with current manic (170.2 +/- 38.9, p = 0.05) and depressive (182.0 +/- 42.0) than in mixed (226.4 +/- 43.3) episodes (p = 0.05). In subgroups of patients with bipolar disorder, manic episodes (169.9 +/- 38.8, n = 9) were associated with lower cholesterol levels than depressive (201.0 +/- 49.4) or mixed (226.4 +/- 44.4) episodes (p = 0.02 for comparison of manic and mixed episodes). Body mass index (BMI), age, alcohol use, and gender did not account for these findings.

Conclusions: Cholesterol levels were lower in manic and depressive than in mixed episodes. No differences were found between diagnoses of unipolar or bipolar mood disorders. Cholesterol may be a state rather than a trait function, and may be influenced by the acute mood state.