[Serum phospholipids in differential diagnostics of acute alcohol and salmonella gastroenteritis]

The aim of the study was to estimate the possibility of using the serum phospholipid spectrum for differential diagnostics of acute alcoholic and salmonella gastroenteritis. It included 50 patients and 50 healthy subjects. The following fractions were measured: total lipophospholipids (LPL), sphyngomyelin (SM), phosphatitylcholine, (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The serum phospholipid composition in patients of the two groups was significantly different. Salmonella gastroenteritis was characterized by reduced LPL and increased PC levels. Acute alcohol gastroenteritis was associated with elevated LPL, PE levels and reduced PC level. Relative LPL, PE levels in salmonella gastroenteritis were significantly higher and PC levels lower than in alcohol gastroenteritis. In the latter the LPL level was twice that in salmonella gastroenteritis whereas PC level was 1.5 times lower