Serum squalene in patients with gallstones.

Serum squalene concentration, which represents the degree of cholesterol synthesis, and other serum and biliary lipids were determined and characteristic abnormalities of lipid metabolism were discussed in patients with gallstones having high serum squalene. The serum squalene concentration was significantly high in patients with pure cholesterol and mixed stones. It remained in normal range in patients with combination and bilirubinate stones. The high serum squalene concentration was accompanied by a high lithogenic index and serum triglyceride concentration. Patients with high serum squalene were also accompanied by increased percent cholic and decreased percent chenodeoxycholic acid. These results may indicate that patients with high serum squalene in our present study have similar lipid abnormalities as type IV hyperlipoproteinemia which has increased cholesterol synthesis, hypertriglyceridemia and increased cholic acid pool and normal chenodeoxycholic acid pool size.