Serum bile acid level and cholic acid disappearance rate in alcoholic liver disease
Poupon, R.Y.; Poupon, R.E.; Petit, D.; Infante, R.; Darnis, F.
Gastroenterologie Clinique et Biologique 2(5): 475-480
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0399-8320 PMID: 680472 Document Number: 135127
The sensitivity of fasting, 2 h post-prandial serum bile acid concentrations and radiolabeled cholic acid plasma disappearance rate as liver function tests was evaluated in 25 alcoholic patients with either liver steatosis and fibrosis (9 patients) or liver cirrhosis (16 patients). In liver steatosis and fibrosis, fasting and 2 h post-prandial bile acid concentrations were abnormal in, respectively, 5 and 7 out of the 9 patients studied. In liver cirrhosis, fasting and 2 h post-prandial concentrations were abnormal in, respectively, 15 and 16 of the 16 patients studied. Cholic acid had a biexponential disappearance curve in control subjects and in patients with liver disease. Four patients with steatosis and fibrosis and 13 patients with liver cirrhosis had a delayed plasma cholic acid disappearance rate. Post-prandial serum bile acid levels was the most sensitive liver function test. Cholic acid disappearance rate apparently is not a more sensitive index of liver disease than the level of serum bile acid concentration.