Normal Serum Cholesterol Values

Abstract

To the Editor.— Friedman and Goldberg's growth chart for serum cholesterol (225:610, 1973) has certainly been needed for some time. I hope one of the milk companies gets hold of this and distributes it widely, as it deserves. The only problem that I see in such a study is that the values at present must have been obtained in some children already in the atherosclerotic range. The authors refer to Kannel's recommendations that seem a little arbitrary. A closer estimate of normal might be obtained by using the children from families where longevity has been demonstrated in the grandparents or great grandparents. Certainly those with a strong family history of death from atherosclerotic heart or brain disease should have been, and I hope were, excluded from this study, since I am sure Dr. Goldberg is aware that once you get interested in this field, patients are quickly aware of it