Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Gallstones are associated with excess body fat. Our aim was to evaluate lipid levels and markers of oxidative stress in subjects with asymptomatic gallstones.

Material and method: Eighty subjects (55 females, 25 males) with a mean age±S.D. of 51±14 years with asymptomatic gallstones were admitted to the study. Forty subjects (25 females, 15 males) with a mean age±S.D. of 57±12 years (P<0.05) without gallstones were enrolled as controls. Lipid levels were determined by routine methods. Serum paraoxonase (PON1) activity was measured spectrophotometrically. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was determined by thiobarbituric acid method.

Results: Subjects with cholelithiasis was younger than control subjects, but there was no difference in body mass index (BMI) (27±2 kg/m² in both groups, P=0.97). Total cholesterol (TC) and MDA levels were significantly higher and HDL-C, PON1 (P<0.01) and LDL-C (P<0.05) levels were significantly lower in subjects with asymptomatic cholelithiasis than in subjects without cholelithiasis. Subjects with cholelithiasis who had impaired fasting glucose (glucose>100 mg/dl, n=39) had significantly higher serum triglyceride (TG), TC (P<0.05) and MDA levels (P<0.01) than subjects with cholelithiasis who had normal fasting glucose (glucose<100 mg/dl, n=41). PON1 activity was significantly lower in cholelithiasis patients with impaired fasting glucose (P<0.01). Subjects with cholelithiasis who had hypertriglyceridemia (TG>150 mg/dl, n=32) were older (P<0.05), had higher BMI, glucose, TC and MDA levels and lower HDL-C and PON1 activity (P<0.01) than subjects with cholelithiasis who had normal TG levels (TG<150 mg/dl, n=48).

Conclusions: Patients with asymptomatic cholelithiasis have higher levels of total cholesterol and lower levels of HDL-C compared to subjects without cholelithiasis and have increased lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidant capacity. Patients with asymptomatic cholelithiasis who have impaired fasting glucose or hypertriglyceridemia have more lipid peroxidation and less antioxidant capacity than subjects with asymptomatic cholelithiasis who do not have impaired fasting glucose or hypertriglyceridemia.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.