Clinical significance of detection of serum total bile acids in patients with viral hepatitis

Objective To study the value of serum total bile acids (TBA) in patients with viral hepatitis-Methods The sreum TBA in specimens collected from 213 patients with viral hepatitis and from 50 normal controls were detected by enzymatic colorimetry and analysed statistically. Results The serum TBA level in acute (or active) period of hepatitis, chronic hepatitis (mild degree), chronic hepatitis (moderate) and cirrhosis were 138.1±109. 6, 39. 4±29. 4, 103. 8±91. 1, 132. 2±103. 6 μmol/L respectively. Compared with that of the control group (11. 1±8. 6μmol/L), the differences between various groups were very significant (P0. 01), so was between the acute (or active) period and recovery period of hepatitis (P0. 01). The TBA contents in acute hepatitis were statistically higher than those of chronic hepatitis (moderate) (P0. 05) and cirrhosis (P0. 05). Conclusion The serum TBA content is related to viral hepatitis, which might be helpful in clinical diagnosis and judgement of prognosis in patients with hepatitis.