THE CHOLINE-CONTAINING PHOSPHOLIPIDS OF SERUM 1

Abstract

The ratio of choline-containing to total phospholipids was calculated from the levels of lipid choline and lipid P in the serum of 23 normal individuals, in 27 patients with diseases of the liver or biliary tract including cirrhosis, infectious hepatitis and biliary obstruction, and in 12 patients with other diseases. By the methods used 70-80% of the serum phospholipids of normal individuals was found to be of the choline-containing variety. Values in the same range were found in the patients with hepatic and biliary tract disease and in the patients with miscellaneous diseases, even when there were marked alterations in the other lipid fractions. The significance of normal phospholipid fractions in patients with liver disease is discussed.