Quantitative study of metals in bile from patients with cholelithiasis.

OBJECTIVE

Biliary lithiasis is a multifactorial phenomenon that is decisively influenced by the composition of bile. We analyzed the presence of eight metals in bile and compared their concentrations in healthy persons and patients with cholelithiasis.

METHODS

We studied bile from 119 patients who underwent cholecystectomy because of symptomatic cholelithiasis, and from 25 control subjects in whom the gallbladder was removed for reasons other than cholelithiasis. Metal concentrations were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The subjects were divided into subgroups according to age, sex and type of stone.

RESULTS

Bile from patients with cholelithiasis contained significantly less of the essential element magnesium (Mg) and the toxic element lead (Pb) than bile from control subjects. Calcium (Ca) and strontium (Sr) concentrations were also lower in patients with gallstones than in the control group, although the differences were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Biliary concentrations of Mg and Pb were significantly lower in patients with cholelithiasis than in the control group. The biliary excretion of Ca and Sr was lower in patients than in controls, although the differences were not statistically significant.