[Pathological changes in serum bile acids in acute and chronic hepatitis]

In view of the current interest in changes in serum bile acids during diseases of the liver, an assessment was made of their prognostic significance, following their determination with standard hospital laboratory equipment. Increases over normal values were found to be related to the degree of liver cell damage, i.e. maximal in acute forms, and decidedly lower in aggressive chronic and persistent hepatitis and silent cirrhosis. The results are regarded as an encouragement to experiment new, quicker methods of determination.