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Serum bile acid concentration after a test meal.
Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology
|January 1, 1976
Summary
Total serum bile acid levels increase after meals in healthy individuals. Patients with liver diseases show a more pronounced and prolonged elevation in bile acids, suggesting a useful diagnostic marker.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Clinical Chemistry
- Hepatology
Background:
- Bile acids are crucial for digestion and are synthesized in the liver.
- Altered bile acid metabolism is associated with various hepatobiliary diseases.
- Understanding postprandial bile acid dynamics is important for diagnosing liver conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate total serum bile acid (SBA) concentrations.
- To analyze the postprandial changes in SBA levels in healthy subjects and patients with hepatobiliary diseases.
- To evaluate the clinical utility of a 2-hour postprandial SBA test.
Main Methods:
- Enzymatic-fluorimetric method utilizing 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.
- Measurement of total serum bile acid concentrations in fasting and postprandial states.
- Comparison of SBA levels between 28 control subjects, 6 healthy individuals, and 7 patients with hepatobiliary diseases.
Main Results:
- Mean fasting total SBA in controls was 2.5 mumoles/l.
- Healthy subjects exhibited a 1.5-3 fold increase in SBA 90-120 minutes post-meal.
- Hepatobiliary disease patients showed significantly higher and prolonged postprandial SBA elevations compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Postprandial serum bile acid response is a sensitive indicator of hepatobiliary function.
- Elevated and prolonged postprandial SBA levels in patients suggest impaired liver function.
- A 2-hour postprandial SBA measurement is a suitable method for clinical assessment of bile acid metabolism.