Pattern of serum bile acids in patients with hepatic fascioliasis

ABSTRACT

The study included 20 patients with established Fasciola infection and 10 normal healthy control subjects. Total serum bile acids and the individual bile acids; cholic acid [CA], chenodeoxycholic acid [CDCA] and deoxycholic acid [DCA] were estimated using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Total serum bile acids, CA levels and their percentage from the total were significantly increased in thefasciola group than in the controls. There was also a significant decrease in the percentage of DCA from the total bile acids as well as its ratio to CA. This decrease might be due to the absence of DCA in some fasciola patients [55%] and to the significant increase in CA which favours more a cholestatic lesion in such patients. All the results of liver function tests were within the accepted normal limits. It could be concluded that, in cases of fascioliasis in the absence of abnormalities in the usual liver function tests especially in anicteric subjects, evaluation of total serum bile acids, CA, DCA levels and the ratio DCA/CA should be considered to demonstrate any minor abnormalities in hepatobiliary system