Cholesterol gallstones; Various fractions of blood cholesterol, a possible link to coronary artery disease

ABSTRACT

Fifty patients suffering form cholesterol gallstones and twenty five healthy control subjects were studied for blood lipids and lipoprotein pattern. The qualitative analysis of stones was performed to include only the cholesterol stone type patients in the study. The aim of study was to put emphasis on various types of lipoprotein cholesterol, like the HDL-C and LDL-C which was not done in previous studies. The serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C were significantly raised in these patients while the HDL-C was significantly reduced when compared with age and sex matched controls. The study suggests that not only the simple lipids but the important lipoproteins, like the HDL-C and LDL-C are involved in pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones. Our results of low HDL-C and high LDL-C in these patients further suggest that such patients are at risk to develop CAD at any time in their future life, such patients after diagnosis of gallstones must be investigated for CAD and kept under observation