The Serum Lipid Changes of the Aged Subjects by Ursodeoxycholic Acid Administration

Abstract

Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) 300 mg/day was given to 31 aged subjects and 12 young subjects. The levels of serum lipids and serum bile acids were observed contunuatively for 4 weeks. We named the cases which showed decreases of Atherogenic Index (AI: Total choles-terol-HDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol) 2 weeks after UDCA administration “Type UA”, and the others “Type UB”. The young subjects belonged mostly to “Type UA” (75%). On the other hand, the aged subjects who belonged to “Type UA” was 45.2%. In the aged subjects, 12 persons had cerebral infarction as past history. Ten of them belonged to “Type UB” and 2 of them belonged to “Type UA”. Serum bile acid was measured with gas liquid chromatography. In the “Type UA” group, the levels of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) were increased significantly, but in “Type UB” group, they were not increased. There was significant negative correlation between the levels of serum CDCA and the levels of AI (R= 0.609, p<0.05). The reasons why AI was decreased and CDCA in serum was increased in “Type UA” were not obvious. It is suggested that intestinal bacteria may play one of the important roles of bile acid metabolism. © 1985, The Japan Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved.