[Skin cholesterol level and its correlation with the lipid indicators of the blood serum in healthy persons and in patients with ischemic heart disease].

Skin free and esterified cholesterol in the forearm and serum lipid levels were examined in 42 male coronary patients and 46 normal male subjects. Irrespective of the type of dislipoproteinemia or normolipidemia, total cholesterol and its free fraction appear to be significantly increased in coronary patients, as compared to normal subjects. There were no significant correlations between the examined skin and serum parameters, either in coronary patients, or in the controls. Possible use of skin cholesterol measurement in the diagnosis of lipid disturbances leading to atherosclerosis is discussed.