ROUTINE DETERMINATION OF BILIARY LIPID-COMPOSITION WITH THE ENTERO-TEST

A simple method for the assay of biliary lipids was used for routine d etermination of biliary cholesterol saturation index (CSI) in 17 healt hy subjects, 40 untreated patients with radiolucent gallstones and 21 gallstone patients treated with ursodiol. The method is based on colle ction of bile with the Entero-Test, a device for easy sampling of gast rointestinal contents. The procedure was easy to perform and well acce pted by the patients. Both CSI and the cholesterol content of bile wer e higher in untreated gallstone patients than in controls, and were si gnificantly lower in treated than in untreated patients. Normal CSI wa s found in 35 % of untreated gallstone patients, while 24 % of healthy subjects had supersaturated bile. Supersaturated bile was still prese nt in 14 % of ursodeoxycholic acid treated patients, suggesting ineffi cacy of therapy. These results demonstrate the possibility of performi ng easy, routine determination of biliary lipid composition, which can yield useful information for the management of gallstone patients.