[Tumor diseases of the blood system: age, cholesterol level and erythrocyte count]

Illustration of potentialities of computer technologies in processing data from case histories

Routine clinical and laboratory data on 263 hemoblastosis patients were processed with the use of the exploring system.

A paradoxical negative relationship was discovered between blood cholesterol and age (R = -0.345, p < 0.00001), and a positive correlation between cholesterol and number of red cells (R = 0.379, p < 0.00001). In comparison of groups with low and high cholesterol, the latter group showed more favourable values of hemoglobin, red cells, other hematological and biochemical parameters. It seems that among hemoblastosis patients and healthy subjects there are subjects with standard age-related changes of cholesterol and paradoxical changes (a negative correlation). The conception about high level of cholesterol as a factor stimulating proliferation of normal and affected cells in patients with hemoblastoses appears doubtful. At least it is not correct to connect a combination hypocholesterolemia + anemia with low pool of dividing cells. On the contrary, hypocholesterolemia in hemoblastoses indicates active tumor process with consequent anemia.

Investigation of paradoxical relationships between age, cholesterol and red cell count (hemoglobin) will help understand general mechanisms of regulation of hemo- and immunogenesis in blood malignancies.