Bile acid ratio in diagnosis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Am J Perinatol. 2009 Apr;26(4):291-4. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1103158. Epub 2008 Nov 19.

Abstract

We sought to determine if the bile acid ratio of cholic acid to chenodeoxycholic acid (CA:CDCA) is an important component for diagnosis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). We assessed the addition of bile acid CA:CDCA ratio information in diagnosing ICP in a database of patients evaluated for ICP by serum bile acids and hepatic transaminases. Patients were considered to test positive for ICP if there was elevation in total bile acid, CA:CDCA ratio, or transaminase. Of 231 specimens evaluated for ICP with bile acid and transaminases, 17.1% had elevated total bile acids, 29.4% had elevated transaminase, and 8.2% had an elevated bile acid ratio. Most specimens with elevated bile acid ratio also had elevated total bile acid; 35.5% of specimens tested positive by total bile acid and/or transaminases, increasing minimally to 35.9% with bile acid ratio information. Similar results were found using lower total bile acid and bile acid ratio thresholds. The bile acid CA:CDCA ratio contributed little to the diagnosis of ICP. The use of total bile acid and hepatic transaminases without bile acid ratios decreased positive tests by less than 2%.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bile Acids and Salts / analysis
  • Bile Acids and Salts / metabolism*
  • Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / diagnosis*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Maternal Age
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / diagnosis*
  • Pregnancy Complications / etiology
  • Pregnancy Outcome*
  • Probability
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Transaminases / analysis
  • Transaminases / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Bile Acids and Salts
  • Transaminases