Liver function and the diagnostic significance of conjugated cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid in serum of African patients with sickle cell disease.

Concentrations of two primary bile acids (cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid) were determined by radioimmunoassay in the serum of 15 African homozygous sickle cell patients, ages ranging from 4 to 22 years. The mean serum levels of the two primary bile acids studied were significantly elevated when compared with the normal mean values. About 67% of the patients had pathological elevation of both primary bile acids, thereby indicating some hepatobiliary damage. Serum conjugated cholic acid correlated significantly with serum chenodeoxycholic acid in the sickle cell disease (r = 0.91, p less than 0.001). The results suggest that radioimmunoassays of serum conjugated cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid in sickle cell disease may also serve as useful biochemical assays in predicting liver dysfunction in sickle cell disease.