Decreased absorption of ingested unconjugated chenodeoxycholic acid in patients with Crohn's disease

The intestinal absorption of unconjugated chenodeoxycholic acid (CDA) was studied in 27 healthy individuals and 28 patients with Crohn's disease who had undergone ileal resection. After they had taken 1 g CDA orally serum levels of bile acids were significantly lower in the patients than in the healthy individuals; the difference was apparent already 30 min after ingestion. There was no correlation between CDA absorption and recurrent disease, length of ileal resection, or number of defecations. These findings indicate that the intestinal absorption of ingested CDA in patients with Crohn's disease is decreased. Since CDA is absorbed mainly in proximal areas of the gut, these observations may indicate that proximal areas are involved in ileocolic Crohn's disease.