Serum Lipids in Cholelithiasis: Effect of Chenodeoxycholic Acid Therapy

Abstract

Hypercholesterolaemia has been predicted as a possible complication of chenodeoxycholic acid treatment for gall stones. To exclude this, fasting serum lipids were measured in patients with stones before and at monthly intervals for six months after starting chenodeoxycholic acid. Before treatment half of a group of 36 patients with presumed cholesterol gall stones had serum cholesterol levels exceeding 260 mg/100 ml or serum triglyceride values greater than 160 mg/100 ml or both; these lipid levels were significantly greater than those in control subjects matched for age and sex. Treatment with chenodeoxycholic acid (0.5-1.5 g/day by mouth) did not change. © 1973, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.