Measurement of daily cholesterol synthesis rates in man by assay of the fractional conversion of mevalonic acid to cholesterol.

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Abstract
A significant correlation was found in man between total daily cholesterol synthesis rates as determined by sterol balance measurements and the fraction of i.v. administered R-[5-14C]mevalonic acid converted to cholesterol. In 30 studies the mean daily cholesterol synthesis rates estimated by sterol balance measurements ranged from 395-3047 mg/day, whereas the fractional conversion of mevalonate to cholesterol varied from 0.28-0.99. The 2 parameters correlated with a coefficient of 0.87, P < 0.001. This method for estimating cholesterol synthesis rates requires low doses of radioisotopic materials (25 .mu.Ci of [14C] mevalonate and 5 .mu.Ci of [3H]cholesterol) and less than 1 h of the patient''s time; it can be repeated at intervals of 3 wk and reflects cholesterol synthesis over a short period of time.