[Serum biliary acids in hepatic cirrhosis]

Radioimmunological measurement of serum bile acids has shown that they increase in alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. In normal subjects, the fasting value of serum bile acids averaged 2.5 +/- 0.41 microM/l, whereas in cirrhotics it was 37.8 +/- 7.9 microM/l (p < 0.001). This technique has proved more specific than routine liver function tests. Measurement of fasting serum bile acids is a sensitive, specific, reproducible index of liver bile function. A quality investigation of primary and secondary bile acids requires the adoption of more sensitive techniques which are not, however, readily adaptable to routine use.