title: Long-term prognostic value of serum bile acids in liver cirrhosis: a prospective study.
abstract: The long-term prognostic significance of serum bile acid (SBA) levels in liver cirrhosis was prospectively evaluated in a 3-year follow-up of 111 patients. The predictive value of SBA levels, of Child classification, and of some commonly used clinical and laboratory parameters were compared analyzing the survivorship functions by means of Life-table method and chi-square Logrank test. SBA determinations showed a high prognostic significance, comparable with the one of the multiparameteric Child classification and significantly higher than the ones of any considered single clinical or laboratory parameter. SBA levels by themselves seem therefore to be of some value in establishing an approximate survivorship prediction in liver cirrhosis, thus representing a possible alternative to multiparametric predictive models in routinary clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Patologia Medica, Università Cattolica S. Cuore, Roma.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siciliano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbesino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase