Serum cholesterol variations in individual patients.

Intra-individual variations of serum cholesterol levels were examined retrospectively over a period of 1-12 years in 77 office patients. The findings confirm for patients the variations published in the literature on volunteers. There was apparently more than one population, one with small variances and another with much greater variances. Because of the large variances in many patients, a physician should obtain several independent measures before attempting to evaluate any therapeutic program.