A dose-up of ursodeoxycholic acid decreases transaminases in hepatitis C patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether a dose-up to 900 mg of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) decreases transaminases in hepatitis C patients.


METHODS
From January to December 2007, patients with chronic hepatitis C or compensated liver cirrhosis with hepatitis C virus (HCV) (43-80 years old) showing positive serum HCV-RNA who had already taken 600 mg/d of UDCA were recruited into this study. Blood parameters were examined at 4, 8 and 24 wk after increasing the dose of oral UDCA from 600 to 900 mg/d.


RESULTS
Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels were significantly decreased following the administration of 900 mg/d as compared to 600 mg/d. The decrease in ALT from immediately before the dose-up of UDCA to 8 wk after the dose-up was 14.3 IU/L, while that for AST was 10.5 IU/L and for GGT was 9.8 IU/L. Platelet count tended to increase after the dose-up of UDCA, although it did not show a statistically significant level (P = 0.05). Minor adverse events were observed in 3 cases, although no drop-outs from the study occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral administration of 900 mg/d of UDCA was more effective than 600 mg/d for reducing ALT, AST, and GGT levels in patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease.
Sato
Shuichi
S
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shimane University, School of Medicine, Izumo, Shimane, Japan. bbsato@med.shimane-u.ac.jp
Miyake
Tatsuya
T
Tobita
Hiroshi
H
Oshima
Naoki
N
Ishine
Junichi
J
Hanaoka
Takuya
T
Amano
Yuji
Y
Kinoshita
Yoshikazu
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000378:metabolism; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000378:metabolism; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
D012709:Serum Albumin; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin