Biliary lipid metabolism in chronic pancreatitis: influence of steatorrhoea.

Kinetics of [24-14C] cholic acid and [24-14C] chenodeoxycholic acid and biliary lipid composition were determined in patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis with (n = 8) and without (n = 8) steatorrhoea. Pool sizes, syntheses and fractional catabolic rates of the two bile acids were not significantly different from corresponding values in healthy controls. Biliary lipid composition was normal in patients without steatorrhoea. Patients with steatorrhoea, on the other hand, had lower cholesterol saturation of bile than corresponding controls. This is probably because of malabsorption of cholesterol.