Significance of changes of serum bile a cid level after glucagon injection in patients with liver cirrhosis

ABSTRACT

In this study, the fasting serum total bile acid level and 15, 60 and 120 minutes levels after intravenous administration of 1 mg glucagon were measured in 34 cirrhotic patients [divided into grades A, B and C according to child's classification] and 10 apparently healthy individuals as a control group. The fasting total bile acid [TBA] level was significantly high in all patients as compared with the control group [p <0.001]. From the results it was found that glucagon induced reduction in serum TBA level mostly in the cases with relatively low grade severity of liver cirrhosis, whereas the majority of severe cases showed an increase. This reduction of serum TBA is due to enhancement of Na +/- coupled membrane transport of bile acids in hepatocytes under effect of glucagon. Lack of this response may be indicative of cell membrane dysfunction in the liver. So, glucagon- induced alteration of serum TBA level is non invasive technique which could be a useful liver function test that is correlated with the severity of liver cirrhosis