Abnormal lipid and lipoprotein patterns in liver cirrhosis with and without hepatocellular carcinoma

Plasma lipid and lipoprotein profile was determined in 12 cirrhotics, 15 patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 20 healthy volunteers. When compared with controls plasma total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), high density lipoprotein phospholipids (HDLPL), HDLPL/PL levels were low, phospholipid (PL) was normal and HDLC/TC and PL/TC were high in cirrhosis. In cirrhotics with HCC, TC, PL, PL/TC levels were elevated while HDLC, HDPL, HDLC/TC and HDLPL/PL were normal. A comparison within the patient groups showed that in cirrhosis alone, the levels of TC, HDLC, PL, HDLPL and HDLPL/PL were lower and PL/TC level was higher than in cirrhotics with HCC. Plasma albumin levels showed a negative correlation with PL/TC and a positive correlation with HDL-cholesterol in cirrhosis. In cirrhosis with HCC plasma, phospholipid levels showed a significant negative correlation with total bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase. The variations in the level of plasma lipids and lipoproteins may assist in describing the nature of these two forms of liver disease.