title: Pruritus may precede abnormal liver function tests in pregnant women with obstetric cholestasis: a longitudinal analysis.
abstract: Obstetric cholestasis is a liver disorder unique to pregnancy, which typically presents with pruritus. However, pruritus is common in pregnancy and the diagnosis of obstetric cholestasis is confirmed by finding abnormal liver function. We report 10 cases in which pruritus occurred before any abnormality in liver function tests (including total serum bile acids) and discuss the implications of this for clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kenyon
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Piercy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Girling
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Tribe
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Shennan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology*