RESUMEN
Fasting levels of blood lipids were studied in 41 patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis and 81 controls. The effect of gatroesophageal decongestion operation [Hassab's operation] on two groups of S.H.F. patients: group A of 18 patients with evident collaterals and group B of 14 patients without, were investigated. The means of fasting total lipids [TL], cholesterol [CH], cholesterol esters [CE], percent esterification of cholesterol, triglycerides [TG], phospholipids [PL] and alpha lipoproteins were found to be significantly lowered in the S.H.F. patients than controls. This was much more marked in group A. Hassab's operation was followed by a significant increase in TL, CH, CE and PL in group A, and not in group B. TG, alpha lipoprotein per cent and percent esterification of cholesterol were not affected in both groups. The possible mechanisms responsible for the above data are discussed