[Clinical significance of HDL-cholesterol variations in viral hepatitis]

40 patients suffering from acute viral hepatitis, 18 type A, 18 type B and 4 non-A non-B have been examined. During the acute phase there was a marked reduction in HDL cholesterol (average 4.4) with subsequent steady increase up to 16.6 at the 5th week of disease. A highly significant negative correlation was observed between transaminases and direct bilirubin. There was no correlation with prothrombin activity, phospholipids and albumin. The clinical significance of these data is discussed.