Correlation of serum lipids and glucose tolerance test in cholelithiasis

The epidemiology of cholelithiasis has been debated for many years, the overall impression of an increasing and the common knowledge on risk factors are mainly based on hospital studies. Cholesterol gall stone in man is associated with abnormalities in the relative concentrations of the major biliary lipids like cholesterol and phospholipids. Hence, the present study is being undertaken to find out possible relationship between serum lipids, altered glucose tolerance in cholelithiasis which may be indicative of metabolic syndrome. A total 50 patients were taken for the study, among which 35 were female patients and 15 were males in the age group of 30-70 years. Plasma glucose, serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and VLDL levels were estimated and LDL-cholesterol was calculated by Fried-walds formula. Oral glucose tolerance test was done according to the standard procedure. There was a significant increase in total cholesterol (p<0.01), LDL cholesterol (p<0.01) and an significant decrease in HDL cholesterol (p<0.01) in cholelithiasis patients as compared to control subjects. The study shows a dearranged lipid metabolism in cholelithiasis patients and oral glucose tolerance was altered, only during post glucose load in female patients, so we conclude that altered glucose and lipid metabolism should be taken into consideration while treating these patients.