Serum bile acids in alcoholics

Fasting serum bile acids were measured in 62 alcoholics with various liver diseases and compared with histological foatures in their percutaneous liver biopsy specimens. In 51 of 62 patients (82%), total serum bile acid concentrations were elevated more than 10μ M/L at the time of admission. Two months after abstinence, serum bile acid levels were decreased in 45 of 62 patients (73%), however 11 patients with cirrhosis still had abnormal serum bile acid values. There was a decrease in the ratio of cholic acid to chenodeoxycholic acid in patients with alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. The data suggest that the measurement of serum bile acids in alcoholics, particularly at the time of admission and two months after abstinence, is useful for evaluation of hepatic disorders in alcoholics.