Open AccessStudies in Cholestasis of Pregnancy
Author(s) -
Samsioe G.,
Svendsen P.,
Johnson P.,
Gustafson A.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016347509157104
Subject(s) - lecithin , medicine , gallbladder , gallstones , palmitic acid , endocrinology , cholestasis , cholesterol , bile acid , cholecystography , liver disease , acute fatty liver of pregnancy , gastroenterology , pregnancy , fatty acid , gestation , chemistry , biochemistry , biology , genetics
. Women from an earlier series of cholestasis of pregnancy (CP) were called for a retrospective study to consider presence of gallstones in the gallbladder (evaluated by cholecystography), liver function tests, serum lipids and lipoproteins and the relative fatty acid composition of serum lecithin (as determined by GLC). The attendance in the retrospective study was 60%. Estimated on the total series (assuming that none of the non‐responders would have a positive X‐ray), the incidence of gallbladder disease was 23.7%. Among women with previous cholestasis of pregnancy and with a positive X‐ray finding no characteristic changes in liver function tests or serum lipids were revealed. The women with positive X‐ray had, however, a lower α‐lipoprotein cholesterol than women with negative X‐ray. A characteristic finding among women with positive X‐ray was furthermore the low relative content of palmitic acid (16:0) in serum lecithin. Also women with negative X‐ray had a lower relative content of palmitic acid than controls. It is suggested that the low palmitic acid content is expressive of an influence on liver lecithin synthesis pathways and that the serum lecithin fatty acid composition reflects similar changes in bile lecithin. The “basic defect” in CP influencing liver lecithin synthesis might be the primary cause for disturbed cholesterol solubility in bile and of the frequent occurrence of gallstones in CP.