Diagnostic value of serum bile acid determination in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.

Fasting and postprandial total bile acid measurements were performed by an enzymatic method in the serum of 12 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis, 8 with chronic active hepatitis, 14 with cirrhosis and 10 with cholestatic chronic hepatitis, as well as in that of 22 normal controls. The results indicated a rise of serum bile acid concentration concomitant with the degree of morphologic liver injury. A significant rise of the fasting concentration of bile acids as compared to the control started with chronic active hepatitis. As postprandial bile acid level was significantly higher in all types of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis and correlated significantly with most of the usual biochemical liver tests, it could be considered as a test of major diagnostic significance for chronic liver diseases.