RSM logo
Annals of Clinical Biochemistry

Home Current issue Browse archive Alerts About the journal Feedback
 
Ann Clin Biochem 2009;46:44-49
doi:10.1258/acb.2008.008130
© 2009 Association for Clinical Biochemistry

This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lucangioli, S. E
Right arrow Articles by Tripodi, V. P
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Original Articles

Lithocholic acid as a biomarker of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy during ursodeoxycholic acid treatment

Silvia E Lucangioli1,2, Gustavo Castaño3, Mario D Contin1 and Valeria P Tripodi1,2


1 Cathedra of Analytical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; 2 Permanent Staff of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, CONICET, Argentina; 3 Consejo de Investigación, Government of the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina


Corresponding author: Dr Valeria Tripodi, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Junin 956 (1113), Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Email: vtripodi{at}ffyb.uba.ar

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) has important implications on fetal health. The biochemical parameter commonly used in the diagnosis of ICP is the determination of the concentration of total serum bile acids (TSBA). However, bile acid profile, especially lithocholic acid (LCA) analysis is a more sensitive and specific biomarker for differential diagnosis of this pathology and also could be an alternative to evaluate the efficiency of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for ICP treatment.

Methods: Serum bile acid (SBA) profiles including LCA determination, were studied in 28 ICP patients using a capillary electrophoresis method. The effects of UDCA treatment on bile acid profile, were analysed in 23 out of 28 ICP patients and the two samples obtained before and 15 days after treatment were compared. Two samples taken as controls were also obtained from each of five patients without therapy.

Results: A dramatic decrease in LCA concentrations and maintenance of TSBA concentrations were found in all patients after UDCA therapy, whereas SBA profiles together with LCA values did not change in patients without therapy.

Conclusion: We propose LCA as an alternative biomarker and a more sensitive parameter than TSBA to evaluate the effectiveness of UDCA treatment, at least in ICP patients from Argentina.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?




MDU Exam Doctor

 Harley Street - A brief history RSM Journals - Hand Therapy