Diagnostic significance of fasting serum bile acid in liver disease.

Serum bile acid was extracted with Amberlite XAD-2 followed by determination with an enzymatic and fluorimetric technique. Normal value for fasting serum bile acid was found to be 3 +/- 2 muM. Serum bile acid level was raised markedly early in the course of acute viral hepatitis, subsequently fell rapidly before resolution of biochemical tests, and was elevated again in relapse. In chronic liver disease serum bile acid was elevated moderately and correlated roughly with disease severity. In comparison with routine biochemical tests, serum bile acid correlated significantly with serum bilirubin, BSP retention and other hepatic tests, except serum cholesterol. Thus fasting serum bile acid level is a reliable screening test for a variety of liver disease to assess functional and morphological impairment of the liver.