Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2025

Using Multi-fluorinated Bile Acids and In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Measure Bile Acid Transport
Published on: November 27, 2016
Alterations of Serum Bile Acid Profile in Patients with Crohn's Disease
Rui Sun1,2, Jingjing Jiang1,2, Ling Yang1,2
1School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
Background:
Bile acid (BA) metabolism may be influenced by gut dysbiosis and alterations of intestinal epithelium in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Here, we aimed at investigating the alterations of serum BA profile in CD patients and analyzing the correlation between BAs and CD disease activity.
Methods:
A total of 62 CD patients (29 active and 33 remission) and 33 healthy volunteers (HVs) were enrolled in this retrospective study. Serum BA profiles were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Results:
Levels of primary BAs components, including cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), showed no significant difference when compared with HVs. Secondary BAs (SBA) were significantly decreased in CD patients compared with HVs. Importantly, the deoxycholic acid (DCA) and glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA) levels were significantly lower in CD active than in CD remission patients. The DCA/(DCA + CA) ratio was also decreased in CD active patients than in CD remission patients while the LCA/(LCA + CDCA) ratio showed no difference between them. Principal component analysis also indicated a clear separation among the three groups, with a total variance of 93.43%. The correlation analysis showed that the SBA, DCA, GDCA levels, and DCA/(DCA + CA) ratio had an inverse relationship with Crohn's Disease Activity Index.
Conclusion:
The BA profile exhibits significant alterations in CD patients. The SBA, DCA, GDCA levels, and DCA/(DCA + CA) ratio were significantly decreased in CD active patients. The DCA/(DCA + CA) ratio had an inverse correlation with CD disease activity.
Related Concept Videos
Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Biologic Agents: Anti-TNF
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids

