THE LIPID COMPOSITION OF SERUM IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER DISEASE*

Abstract

The serum lipids, including the individual phospholipids, free cholesterol, cholesterol ester, and triglyceride were analyzed in 12 patients with parenchymatous or obstructuve jaundice, in 3 patients with cirrhosis without jaundice, and in 3 patients with bile fistula. The serum lipids of the patients with parenchymatous or obstructive jaundice showed a characteristic pattern, even when the total serum lipid concentration was not elevated, which included 1) elevation of the lecithin concentration and, more consistently, of the ratio of lecithin/total phospholipid, 2) elevation of the free cholesterol concentration and of the ratio of free/total cholesterol, and 3) elevation of the concentration of the lipoprotein fraction with density (D) 1.063 and lowering of the concentration of the lipoprotein fraction D 1.063, and more consistently, elevation of the ratio of the former to the latter. The serum lysolecithin concentration in the patients with parenchymatous jaundice appeared to be inversely related to the direct serum bilirubin concentration. The serum cholesterol ester concentration varied similarly to the serum lysolecithin concentration. The serum triglyceride concentration was elevated in most of the jaundiced patients and in the patients with bile fistula.