EFFECT OF CHOLECYSTECTOMY ON PLASMA-LIPID AND LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS

Background/Aim: This study was designed to elucidate the effect of cho lecystectomy, a common surgical procedure, on the concentrations of pl asma lipids and lipoproteins. Patients and Methods:19 consecutive pati ents with symptomatic gallstone disease and emptying gallbladder, and 16 control patients (Nissen-Rosetti fundoplication) were studied. Chol esterol, triglyceride, and protein concentrations of various lipoprote ins were analysed. Results: Plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels we re significantly reduced in cholecystectomy patients (p=0.0048 and p=0 .0239) at day 3 after the operation, the values returning to the preop erative level thereafter. In the control patients similar trends were observed for total and LDL cholesterol levels but these changes did no t reach statistical significance. In cholecystectomy patients a signif icant increase was noticed in the very-low-density lipoprotein and int ermediate density lipoprotein apoprotein B concentration three years a fter surgery (p=0.0.019 and p=0.0001). Conclusions: These minor change s in plasma lipoproteins following cholecystectomy are unlikely to hav e any importance in the development coronary heart disease. They indic ate, however, altered enterohepatic metabolism of cholesterol after th e removal of the gallbladder.