Evaluation of a commercial enzymatic method for the determination of total serum bile acids

An enzymatic method (Sterognost-3 alpha Flu, Nyegaard & Co, Oslo, Norway) for the determination of total serum bile acids has been evaluated, and reference values for fasting and postprandial total serum bile acids have been established. Precision was rather low in the lower normal range but satisfactory in the upper reference range and for elevated values. The upper reference value for fasting total serum bile acids was 5.0 mu mol/l. Maximal postprandial elevations occurred at varying intervals after a test meal and the upper postprandial reference value was 12 mu mol/l. Certain serum samples were also analysed by radioimmunological methods for conjugates of cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids. The values obtained with the enzymatic method correlated satisfactorily with those of the radioimmunoassay methods for most of the serum samples analysed. However, a number of samples with slightly elevated bile acid concentrations, as measured by the comparison radioimmunoassay methods, were found to have normal total serum bile acids when measured by the enzymatic method.