title: Effects of ursodeoxycholic acid on serum liver enzymes in patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on serum liver enzyme levels [alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)] in 101 patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine patients were assigned to receive UDCA (450 mg/day) over a period of 6 months and 52 to receive no treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the UDCA group, serum ALT and GGT levels significantly improved. ALT values decreased from pre-treatment levels of 157.0 +/- 62.6 IU/l to 82.5 +/- 46.4 IU/l (P < 0.05), and GGT fell from 141.3 +/- 86.2 IU/l to 66.0 +/- 49.5 IU/l (P < 0.001). No significant change occurred in the mean ALT and GGT levels in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although our encouraging preliminary results must be validated by double-blind histological trials, UDCA may be an alternative treatment for patients who fail to respond to interferon therapy.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Marino General Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Puoti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Magrini
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Filippi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Annovazzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pannullo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase