[Hypocholesterolemia in multiple myeloma. Inverse relation to the component M and the clinical stage]

The following parameters were studied in 41 Durie & Salmon staged patients with multiple myeloma: M component, bone lesions, marrow plasma cell %, Hb, leukocytes/mm3, lymphocytes/mm3, platelets/mm3, blood calcium, serum albumin, blood creatinine, BUN, total blood cholesterol. Linear correlation was adopted for the relation between two variables, using Pearson's coefficient, and Student's t test for unpaired data for comparison between the means. A significant (slight to excellent) inverse correlation was noted between total blood cholesterol and the M component. There was also a significant difference between the 1st and 2nd stage of the disease in this respect (P less than 0.05), between the 1st and 3rd (P less than 0.01), and between the 1st and the 2nd and 3rd combined (P less than 0.01). Progress of the disease appears to result in a fall in blood cholesterol. This parameter may be of assistance in differentiating slow-progressing forms from the more aggressive forms requiring treatment. The reasons for this change are discussed. Since cholesterol is an essential part of the cell membranes, attention is given to theories postulating a disorder in intracellular membrane metabolism.