The relationship between lipid profile and severity of liver damage in cirrhotic patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: An impaired lipid metabolism is often observed in patients with chronic liver diseases. To determine lipid profile in patients with cirrhosis and to asses if it relates to the severity of the cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an analytical cross-sectional study, 50 patients with cirrhosis (case) and 50 age- and sex matched healthy normolipidemic patients (comparison) were studied. A questionnaire including personal characteristics,etiology of cirrhosis, pathologic criteria of CHILD and MELD and lipid profile (total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol and triglyceride) was completed for each patient. RESULTS: In patients with cirrhosis, there was a significant decrease in serum triglyceride, total, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels compared to the comparison group (mean of 82 vs 187, 138 vs 184, 80 vs 137, and 40 vs 44 mg/dL, respectively; all p<0.05). Comparison of lipid profile with pathologic progression of cirrhosis revealed that except for serum triglyceride level, serum lipid levels diminishe linearly with progression of liver damage. CONCLUSIONS: Serum total, LDL and HDL cholesterol level in patients with cirrhosis is inversely correlate with severity of cirrhosis.