Cholesterol in Blood. 



299 



154 (1736) 



Cholesterol and cholesterol esters in blood showing a positive 

 Wassermann reaction. 1 



By ARTHUR KNUDSON, THOMAS ORDWAY and HAZEL FERGUSON. 



[From the Departments of Medicine and Biological Chemistry, 

 Albany Medical College and Albany Hospital.] 



Blood was taken from a series of patients having various 

 forms of syphilis and showing a strongly positive Wassermann 

 reaction. Total cholesterol and cholesterol esters were deter- 

 mined on the whole blood by the method of Bloor, 2 and Bloor and 

 Knudson, 3 respectively. The syphilitic cases having a positive 

 reaction were grouped into syphilis of the heart and blood vessels, 

 syphilis of the central nervous system, syphilis with skin mani- 

 festations. Several cases with positive Wassermann reaction but 

 showing no physical signs and control cases with negative Wasser- 

 mann reaction were also studied. The results of these determina- 

 tions are given in Table I. They indicate that the total cholesterol 

 content is not effected but the amount of cholesterol as esters is 

 considerably decreased in the various syphilitic conditions. The 

 percentage of cholesterol ester in the normal patients with negative 

 Wassermann reaction averages 34.4 per cent, which agrees very 

 closely with the results reported by Bloor and Knudson. 4 The 

 per cent, of cholesterol esters in the cases with syphilis showing 

 positive Wassermann reaction and distinct physical signs averages 

 about 21-22 per cent. It is of interest to note that the three 

 cases with a positive Wassermann reaction but no physical signs 

 of syphilis do not show a very marked reduction of the cholesterol 

 esters. 



1 The researches reported in this investigation were supported by a grant from 

 the United States Interdepartmental Social Hygiene Board. 



2 Bloor, W. R., Jour. Biol. Chem., 1916, xxiv, 227; ibid., 1917, xxix, 437. 



3 Bloor, W. R., and Knudson, A., Jour. Biol. Chem., 1916, xxvii, 107. 



4 Bloor, W. R., and Knudson, A., Jour. Biol. Chem., 19 17, xxix, 7. 



