Recognition of Odontogenic Cyst-Fluid Cholesterol Concentration as a Measure of Serum Cholesterol Value of the Patient.

Abstract

Background: Hypercholesterolaemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Serum cholesterol is usually determined to know if a subject is at a risk of heart diseases. This lipid is found in most fluids in the body including the odontogenic cyst-fluid. We investigated the concentration of cholesterol in the odontogenic cyst-fluids and sera of the same patients.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine if the cyst-fluid concentration values could be used as alternative measure of the serum cholesterol profile of patients.
Patients and method: This was a prospective study that was carried out in two specialist Health Institutions in Enugu, Nigeria, between January, 2005 and December, 2006. The diagnoses of the cyst-types were made using the clinical, radiographic and histopathologic findings. The cyst-fluids and sera cholesterol values were analized in the Chemical Pathology Laboratory.
Result: Eighteen patients with eighteen unilateral cystic lesions met the eligibility criteria for this study. Six radicular cysts, eleven dentigerous cysts and one calcifying odontogenic cyst were analized. In ten of the patients (55.5% ) there were no significant statistical differences between the respective cyst-fluid cholesterol concentrations and those of the autologous sera of the patients (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Cyst-fluid cholesterol concentration can provide quantitative measure of the patient's serum cholesterol profile.


Keywords: Odontogenic Cyst Cholesterol, Serum Cholesterol Value

Journal of College of Medicine Vol. 13 (2) 2008: pp. 128-132