Clinical significance of serum bile acids determination in chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Fasting total serum bile acids [FSBA] concentrations were measured in 24 cases of chronic liver disease Schistosomal hepatic fibrosis [SHF] or cirrhosis, 28 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] and 11 normal control. FSBA were significantly higher in patients with HCC than those with chronic liver disease, and both were significant higher than the normal controls [p <0.01]. FSBA levels did not correlate with the severity of liver disease, the degree of esophageal varices or histologic grade of HCC. FSBA levels were comparable in schistosomal and cirrhotic patients, but were found significantly higher in patients with chronic active hepatitis [p=0.001]. FSBA also correlated significantly with the size of tumor in HCC [p=0.05]. This study shows that FSBA may have a predictive value both in chronic active hepatitis and HCC and therefore, may become useful tool in screening and planning the therapeutic approach to these hepatic diseases