OBJECTIVE: Serum
plant sterols were higher in patients who were currently receiving PN than in controls and were related to conjugated
bilirubin (r = 0.799-0.541, P < 0.05). During PN, the ratio of serum
stigmasterol to
cholesterol was 3.3-fold higher in patients with portal
inflammation, and the ratio of avenasterol to
cholesterol was 3.9-fold higher in patients with
cholestasis (P < 0.05 for both). Ratios of
stigmasterol and avenasterol to
cholesterol were correlated with portal
inflammation (r = 0.549-0.510, P < 0.05),
cholestasis (r = 0.501-0.491, P = 0.048-0.053), and serum
bile acids (r = 0.591-0.608, P < 0.05). The median (IQR) ratio of serum
cholestanol to
cholesterol was higher during (269 100× μg/mg
cholesterol; 203-402 100× μg/mg
cholesterol) than after (175 100× μg/mg
cholesterol; 156-206 100× μg/mg
cholesterol; P < 0.001) weaning off PN and was correlated with
cholestasis (r = 0.428), portal
inflammation (r = 0.511), and
fibrosis (r = 0.323, P < 0.05 for all). After weaning off PN, ratios of cholestenol and
lathosterol to
cholesterol were >2-fold higher in patients with persistent
liver steatosis than in those without steatosis or controls (P < 0.01 for all), whereas
lathosterol was correlated with the steatosis grade (r = 0.320, P < 0.050).
CONCLUSIONS: