FACTORS ALTERING CONCENTRATION OF BLOOD LIPIDS 401 



unable to confirm the observation of Gildea et aL 268 ; he concluded that the 

 cholesterol level in the blood was a value characteristic of the individual. 



On the other hand, the level of the ketone bodies in the blood during fast- 

 ing or following the ingestion of a protein-fat diet is closely linked with 

 sex. Although the ketone-bodies (acetoacetic acid, /3-hydroxybutyric 

 acid, and acetone) do not represent lipids in the true sense of the word, 

 since they are water-soluble, they are the result of lipid metabolism. See 

 pages 449-451 for a discussion of blood ketones. 



c. The Effect of Race. There is no evidence that race affects the level 

 or nature of blood lipids to an appreciable degree. The blood cholesterol 

 value reported by Bose and De 269 for Indians, namely, 140 milligram per 

 cent (120-160), is lower than that of occidentals. Boyd and Roy 270 also 

 reported levels for blood cholesterol which were slightly lower than those 

 considered normal for Europeans and Americans. There is no adequate 

 explanation for the low values reported by Radsma 271 for tropical races, 

 although Radsma suggests that infection with intestinal parasites (Ascaris 

 spp.) or with the hookworm organism (Ankylostoma spp.) may be respon- 

 sible. 



In studies on Eskimos, Corcoran and Rabinowitch 272 detected no specific 

 differences in the lipid patterns of the serum, in spite of the fact that the 

 diet consisted largely of meat; however, the total lipid, cholesterol, and 

 phospholipid values were somewhat lower than the normal figures, and the 

 phospholipid : cholesterol ratios appeared to be slightly higher than the usual 

 normal ratios. 



d. Diurnal Variations in Blood Lipids. The bulk of the experimental 

 evidence is against any pronounced diurnal variation in blood lipids which 

 cannot be traced to fat ingestion. A diurnal variation in liver glycogen 

 has been postulated. 273 - 274 If this change could be demonstrated with 

 carbohydrate, it is possible that it might be correlated with a rhythmic 

 change in fat storage in the liver, and the latter would certainly be associ- 

 ated with variations in blood lipids. In fact, Ohlsson and Blix 275 reported 

 experiments on rats which appeared to demonstrate these cyclic changes 

 in the composition of liver lipids. 



However, although more recent work has confirmed the variations in 



269 J. P. Bose and U. N. De, Indian J. Med. Research, 24, 489-508 (1936). 



270 T. C. Boyd and A. C. Roy, Indian J. Med. Research, 15, 643-651 (1928). 



271 W. Radsma, Geneesk. Tijdschr. Neder land. -Indie, 69, 793-805 (1929). 



272 A. C. Corcoran and I. M. Rabinowitch, Biochem. J., 31, 343-348 (1937). 



273 E. Forsgren, Skand. Arch. Physiol, 53, 137-151 (1928). 



274 G. Agren, O. Wilander, and E. Jorpes, Biochem. J., 25, 777-785 (1931). 



275 B. Ohlsson and G. Blix, Skand. Arch. Physiol, 69, 182-188 (1934). 



