[Lipid metabolism disorders in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)]

40 women, average age 52.5 years, with varying stages of primary biliary cirrhosis, were observed. One third of them suffered from a mild anaemia, mean plasma concentrations of ALAT were increased four times and those of AP six times. Despite the hepatocellular damage products of the liver synthesis such as transport proteins or coagulation factors were found to be normal or enhanced. 60% of the patients had a hypercholesterolaemia. The risk factors low density lipoprotein (LDL)- and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol showed normal levels, but the protective factor high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol was clearly increased. Apart from the low blood pressure in most of the patients and the absence of other risk factors these observations explain, why patients with PBC and hypercholesterolaemia don't usually develop arteriosclerotic complications. Only in case of severe cholestasis a lipid constellation comes into being accompanied by high risk for the blood vessels, but in these cases the terminal stage of PBC limits the survival. Positive correlations between markers of cholestasis and lipid parameters let an enhanced production and simultaneous impaired excretion of cholesterol be assumed.