title: The treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy by dexamethasone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether dexamethasone suppression of fetoplacental oestrogen production can reduce obstetric cholestasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tampere, Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 women, at between 28 and 37 weeks gestation, with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment with 12 mg oral dexamethasone daily for 7 days, after which the therapy was gradually discontinued over 3 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum oestriol, oestradiol, total bile acids and ALAT were measured before and during therapy and on days 4 and 7 and ALAT also on day 12. Differences were tested by paired t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Itching disappeared or was relieved in all patients. Serum oestriol level fell significantly by day 1 of treatment, serum oestradiol and total bile acid levels by day 4 and ALAT by day 12 from the beginning of the therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dexamethasone is a drug of choice in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hirvioja
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tuimala
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vuori
mesh_terms: D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone