Bile secretion in acute and chronic hypercalcemia in the cat

The reported coincidence of primary hyperparathyroidism and cholelithiasis led us to investigate the effects of acute and chronic hypercalcemia on bile secretion in cats. Acute hypercalcemia (6-7 mmol/liter) was induced by an intravenous calcium infusion. Chronic hypercalcemia (3-4 mmol/liter) was induced and maintained for 8-10 weeks by treatment with subcutaneous vitamin D3, oral dihydrotachysterol, and feeding a calcium-rich diet. Bile secretion was then studied in acute experiments. We found that calcium concentrations in serum and hepatic bile were similar during all experimental normo- or hypercalcemic conditions (y = 1.12x - 0.85; r = 0.76). Biliary volume outputs were significantly decreased during both acute (P less than 0.002) and chronic (P less than 0.05) hypercalcemia compared with normocalcemic controls. Acute hypercalcemia also decreased total bile acid outputs (P less than 0.05), but had no effect on biliary bile acid concentrations. The inhibitory effect of acute hypercalcemia on biliary fluid and bile acid secretion was dose dependent and not antagonized by atropine. These findings suggest that calcium is secreted in hepatic bile at similar concentrations as present in the serum and that elevations of serum calcium concentration inhibit biliary volume and bile acid secretion in cats. Similar effects of hypercalcemia on bile composition in humans might promote calcium salt precipitation in bile.