Abstract
Borch K, Chu M, Kullman E, Carlsson B, Rehfeld JF. Endogenous hypercholecystokininemia, but not aspirin, reduces the gallstone incidence in the hamster model. Scand J Gastroenterol 1994;29:740-743.
Background: Studies in humans and rodents indicate that gallstone development may be prevented by inhibiting gallbladder mucus hypersecretion with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or by preventing stasis of gallbladder bile with administration of cholecystokinin. Methods: The effect of oral aspirin and pancreaticobiliary diversion with endogenous hypercholecystokininemia on crystal and gallstone formation was studied in Syrian golden hamsters fed a lithogenic diet for 8 weeks. Results: None of the control animals fed a normal diet developed gallstones or crystals in gallbladder bile. Gallstones developed in 67% of the animals fed a lithogenic diet only. The gallstone prevalence did not differ significantly in animals on a lithogenic diet and a daily aspirin dose of 6 mg/kg (gallstone prevalence, 60%) or 100 mg/kg (gallstone prevalence, 70%), whereas it was significantly lower in animals with endogenous hypercholecystokininemia on a lithogenic diet (gallstone prevalence, 29%). The prevalence of crystals in gallbladder bile did not differ significantly between any of the experimental groups. Conclusions: It is concluded that in hamsters on a lithogenic diet, aspirin does not prevent gallstone formation, whereas endogenous hypercholecystokininemia reduces the prevalence of stones without affecting the occurrence of crystals in gallbladder bile.