Circulating bile acid profiles in Japanese patients with NASH

Abstract

Background: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an evolutional pattern of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with inflammation and fibrosis. Although pharmacological options for treating NASH are limited, derivatives of bile acids and compounds that influence bile acid-related signalling pathways are emerging as potentially useful therapeutic agents. Methods: To characterise bile acid profiles in relatively ‘lean’ Japanese patients, we analysed serum bile acid concentrations in patients with biopsy-proven NASH (n = 34) and healthy controls (n = 38) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Mean total serum bile acid concentration in the NASH group was significantly higher compared with controls (P