Serum bile acids and rountine liver function tests in patients with chronic liver disease and cholestasis.

Serum bile acids were measured in 28 patients with established liver disease. The peak serum level after a meal was as sensitive an index of liver disease as a combination of serum bilirubin, aspartate amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase and was more often abnormal than any one of the four tests. Serum bile acid measurements may be of most value in detecting cirrhosis when the activity of disease is minimal.