Cutaneous cholesterol and plasma lipoproteins in young subjects

The present report concerns the biochemical and anatomo-pathological study of the skin and the plasma lipoprotein fractions in a young population (average age : 22 +/- 1.5 years). The levels of cutaneous cholesterol and the ratio HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol are closely linked even through the histological structure of the skin is still normal; the level of cutaneous cholesterol giving a good indication of the degree of vascular ageing. The observations confirm the usefulness of measuring these two parameters in the detection of early atherosclerosis.