A double-blind comparative trial of dihydroxydibutylether in patients with cholesterol gallstones.

: In a double-blind crossover design we compared dihydroxydibutylether (DHBE) with placebo in ten patients with cholesterol gallstones. The results showed that DHBE reduced (p less than 0.01) the bile saturation index (SI). The bile lipid composition demonstrated that the reduced SI was due to a decrease (p less than 0.01) in the molar percentage of cholesterol. There was no significant modification in biliary acid and phospholipid molar percentage.