1. Biliary lipid secretion rates were measured in non-obese and obese individuals with and without cholesterol gallstones, using a steady-state, amino acid duodenal perfusion method. In addition, biliary lipid secretion rates were measured in five obese gallstone patients receiving high-dose chenodeoxycholic acid therapy (16-22 mg day−1 kg−1).
2. Bile acid secretion rates in the non-obese patients with cholesterol gallstones (563+sem 70 μmol/h, n = 6) were significantly lower than in the non-obese controls (1078 + 210 μmol/h, n = 10, P < 0.05), whereas cholesterol secretion rates were similar in the non-obese individuals with and without gallstones (51+7 and 42+4 μmol/h respectively).
3. In the obese, both with and without gallstones, the major abnormality was hypersecretion of cholesterol (107+7 μmol/h, n = 7, and 81 + 15 μmol/h, n = 7, respectively). Both these values were significantly greater than those in the non-obese controls (P < 0.01-0.02).
4. Biliary cholesterol secretion rates correlated significantly with bile acid secretion rates but, for every mole of bile acid secreted, the obese secreted more cholesterol than the non-obese.
5. Chenodeoxycholic acid treatment lowered biliary cholesterol saturation in obese gallstone patients by reducing biliary cholesterol secretion.
6. These results suggest that there are two major types of defect in biliary lipid secretion in gallstone patients: reduced biliary bile acid secretion in non-obese gallstone patients and excessive biliary cholesterol secretion in the obese.
