title: [Gallstone dissolution in an adult female population: trial with lovastatin therapy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are no chilean reports on gallstone dissolution using oral medications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure the proportion of asymptomatic adult women eligible for gallstone dissolution therapy and to test the effectiveness and tolerance of lovastatin for this purpose.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred fifty six women working at health care institutions were subjected to a gallbladder ultrasound examination. Non pregnant women with radiolucent gallstones of less than 2 cm phi were invited to receive lovastatin 20 mg od and were followed during six months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty two women had gallstones and eight eligible women received lovastatin therapy. No reduction in stone size was observed in these women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Less than half of asymptomatic women with gallstones are eligible for oral dissolution therapy. Lovastatin did not reduce gallstone size after six months of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Gastroenterología, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Glasinovic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scrivanti
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Mege
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Raddatz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Valdivia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ahumada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008148:Lovastatin