1994 Volume 23 Issue 2 Pages 150-157
We measured the concentrations of the total sulfated bile acids in urine (U-TSBA) by enzymatic colorimetry with an automated analyzer. The U-TSBA levels in healthy subjects decreased with age. Neither sex difference nor the effect of meal was found in the U-TSBA levels. The reference values are <19.48, <12.27 and <6.60μmol/g creatinine for the group of under 4 years old, 4-17 years old and more than 18 years old, respectively. The U-TSBA level increased significantly in patients with hepatobiliary diseases. The U-TSBA level showed a significant correlation with either serum transaminases activity, serum total bile acid level and serum direct bilirubin concentration in patients with hepatobiliary diseases. The measurement of U-TSBA was more efficient for detecting hepatobiliary diseases than that of urobilinogen and bilirubin in urine, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase in serum and, almost the same as that of total bile acids, alanine transaminase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in serum. Since the determination of U-TSBA is not only a noninvasive procedure, but also a sensitive test for hepatobiliary diseases and urine collected at any time can be used for the test, it may be convenient as a routine liver test in the out-patient clinic.
