ULTRACENTRIFUGAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LIPOPROTEIN SPECTRUM IN OBSTRUCTIVE JAUNDICE: STUDIES OF SERUM LIPID RELATIONSHIPS IN INTRA- AND EXTRAHEPATIC BILIARY OBSTRUCTION 1

Abstract

Serum lipoproteins were determined by ultracentrifugation at solvent density 1.21 g/ml, cholesterol and phospholipids by accepted chemical techniques, in 28 subjects with obstructive jaundice of various etiologies. Obstructive jaundice, regardless of type, is characterized by markedly reduced or absent high density -S1.21 0-20 ("alpha") lipoproteins and increased -S1.21 25-40 or 25-70 ("beta") lipoproteins. Low density -S1.21 70-100 lipoproteins may be present in sera from patients with homologous serum hepatitis, but as a rule are absent in other types of obstructive jaundice. Significant positive correlations exist between the following serum values: % esterified cholesterol and the log of the -S1.21 0-20 lipo-protein/free cholesterol ratio; esterified cholesterol and -S1.21 0-20 lipoprotein concentrations; serum albumin and total cholesterol concentrations. Thus the concentration of high density -S1.21 0-20 lipoproteins may be predicted from knowledge of either the esterified cholesterol concentration or the total or unesterified cholesterol concentration together with the % of cholesterol esterified.