Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1998. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 15, 1998; 4(1): 82-84
Published online Feb 15, 1998. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v4.i1.82
Bile acids in serum and bile of patients with cholesterol gallstone
Tian-Quan Han, Sheng-Dao Zhang, Wen-Hao Tang, Zhao-Yan Jiang
Tian-Quan Han, Sheng-Dao Zhang, Zhao-Yan Jiang, Department of Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200025, China
Wen-Hao Tang, Department of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Railway Medical College, Nanjing 210009, China
Tian-Quan Han, male, born on 1950-12-07 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Graduated from Bengbu Medical College in 1975 and Shanghai Second Medical University in 1989. Associate Professor, Ph. D. of Medicine, totor of postgraduate students of master degree, specialized in the study of mechanism of gallstone formation, acute pancreatitis and gastrointestinal motility, having 31 papers published.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Tian-Quan Han, Department of Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, 197 Ruijin Erlu, Shanghai 200025, China
Telephone: +86-21-64370045 ext. 6015
Received: September 20, 1997
Revised: November 6, 1997
Accepted: December 19, 1997
Published online: February 15, 1998
Abstract

AIM: To analyze serum bile acids and biliary lipids of patients with cholesterol gallstone(CS) and explore the relationship between deoxycholic acid (DCA) and CS disease.

METHODS: Analysis of bile acids in serum was done with gas-chromatography in two groups: CS group (n = 151) and control group (n = 256). Serum bile acids and biliary lipids were also studied in 90 matched samples.

RESULTS: The serum DCA was 0.955 μmol/L ± 0.078 μmol/L in CS group, which was more than that of control group (0.696 μmol/L ± 0.047 μmol/L), P < 0.01. The ratio of DCA/chenodeoxycholic acids (CDCA) was 1.76 ± 0.30 in CS group, about two times that in control group (0.92 ± 0.14). The mole percent of DCA in bile was positively related to cholesterol saturation index (CSI) (P < 0.01) and the mole percent of CDCA in bile negatively to CSI (P = 0.01). There was correlation between the mole percent of DCA, CDCA and cholic acid in bile and in serum.

CONCLUSION: It is suggested that DCA is lithogenic and the increased amount of DCA or the ratio of DCA/CDCA in serum may be one of the features of cholesterol gallstone patients.

Keywords: cholesterol gallstone; bile acids/analysis; deoxycholic acids/analysis; chromatography, gas