The impact of malaria on common lipid parameters.

Abstract

No data are available in the literature to indicate whether low-level Plasmodium falciparum infections induce lipid parameter changes. We hypothesized that low-level P. falciparum infections induce significant changes in common lipid parameters. We retrospectively selected samples from a malaria prophylaxis study to measure the impact of sustained parasite clearance on common lipid parameters [total cholesterol (TChol), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (LDL-c) and triglycerides (TG)] in 47 apparently healthy schoolchildren whose P. falciparum parasitemia was initially below 1000/ microl. After parasite clearance, mean values were significantly increased for Tchol ( P<0.001) and HDL-c ( P<0.001), unlike LDL-c ( P=0.93); and TG were significantly decreased from the baseline ( P=0.004). No significant change was found in a control group. This is the first study showing significant lipid changes related to low-level P. falciparum infections. Further studies are needed to explore the relevance of this finding at the population level in hyperendemic malaria areas.

• Authors: Jean-François Faucher, Edouard Ngou-Milama, Michel Anoumou Missinou, Raphaël Ngomo, Maryvonne Kombila, Peter G Kremsner
• Journal: Parasitology research (Parasitol Res) Vol. 88 Issue 12 Pg. 1040-3 (Dec 2002) ISSN: 0932-0113 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 12444452 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Lipids
• Cholesterol

Topics

• Adolescent
• Animals
• Child, Preschool
• Cholesterol (metabolism)
• Female
• Gabon
• Host-Parasite Interactions
• Humans
• Lipids (blood)
• Malaria, Falciparum (blood)
• Male
• Plasmodium falciparum (metabolism)
• Retrospective Studies