title: [Clinical characteristics of 1241 cases of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical characteristics of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 1241 cases of ICP during the 10 years from Jan 1991 to Dec 2000 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four (3.5%) patients were multiple gestation. One hundred and one (8.1%) patients had pregnancy induced hypertension. ICP recurred in 30.2% multipara (38/126). On average, it occurred at gestational week of 32.6. Pruritus was the first symptom in 1201 (96.8%) patients while 8 (0.6%) patients had jaundice and 28 (2.3%) patients had abnormal liver function at the onset. Serum total bile acid (TBA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were usually mild or moderately elevated, while some patients had normal TBA (17.7%), ALT (15.6%), or AST (17.1%) level. The albumin/globulin ratio was reversed in 35 (3.2%) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICP tends to recur in subsequent pregnancy. It is more likely to develop in multiple gestation. Pruritus is the most common and prominent manifestation. Elevated TBA and ALT or AST level is helpful for diagnosis. It should be noted that the above manifestations might not be typical in some patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.forename: Shu-yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000097:blood; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D041781:Jaundice, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012712:Serum Globulins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012712:Serum Globulins; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase