title: Serum unconjugated bile acids in patients with small bowel bacterial overgrowth.
abstract: Concentrations of total and unconjugated bile acids in serum were measured fasting and 2 h postprandially in 9 patients with a positive [14C]glycocholate breath test consistent with small bowel bacterial overgrowth and in 13 controls. Gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GLC-MS) and enzymatic-fluorometric assays were both used. In contrast to previous work, total serum bile acids were only occasionally elevated in patients with bacterial overgrowth. Total 2 h postprandial unconjugated bile acids, however, were elevated in 7/9 patients when measured by GLC-MS and in 6/9 when measured by the enzymatic-fluorometric method. The best separation between patients and controls was achieved by GLC-MS determinations of 2 h postprandial unconjugated cholic acid or primary bile acids, which were abnormal in 8/9 patients. This study indicates that measurement of serum bile acids may be a useful approach to the diagnosis of bacterial overgrowth, but would require accessible methods for separating and measuring cholic acid or unconjugated primary bile acids in post-prandial sera.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bolt
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stellaard
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sitrin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paumgartner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000097:blood*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts