Comparison of endogenous and radiolabeled bile acid excretion in patients with idiopathic chronic diarrhea

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Gastroenterology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-5085(90)90031-U· OSTI ID:7136892

Schiller, L R; Bilhartz, L E; Santa Ana, C A ^[1]

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1. Baylor Univ. Medical Center, Dallas, TX (USA)

Fecal recovery of radioactivity after ingestion of a bolus of radiolabeled bile acid is abnormally high in most patients with idiopathic chronic diarrhea. To evaluate the significance of this malabsorption, concurrent fecal excretion of both exogenous radiolabeled bile acid and endogenous (unlabeled) bile acid were measured in patients with idiopathic chronic diarrhea. Subjects received a 2.5-microCi oral dose of taurocholic acid labeled with 14C in the 24th position of the steroid moiety. Endogenous bile acid excretion was measured by a hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase assay on a concurrent 72-h stool collection. Both radiolabeled and endogenous bile acid excretion were abnormally high in most patients with chronic diarrhea compared with normal subjects, even when equivoluminous diarrhea was induced in normal subjects by ingestion of osmotically active solutions. The correlation between radiolabeled and endogenous bile acid excretion was good. However, neither radiolabeled nor endogenous bile acid excretion was as abnormal as is typically seen in patients with ileal resection, and none of these diarrhea patients responded to treatment with cholestyramine with stool weights less than 200 g. These results suggest (a) that this radiolabeled bile acid excretion test accurately reflects excess endogenous bile acid excretion; (b) that excess endogenous bile acid excretion is not caused by diarrhea per se; (c) that spontaneously occurring idiopathic chronic diarrhea is often associated with increased endogenous bile acid excretion; and (d) that bile acid malabsorption is not likely to be the primary cause of diarrhea in most of these patients.

• OSTI ID: 7136892
• Journal Information: Gastroenterology; (USA), Vol. 98:4; ISSN 0016-5085
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BILE ACIDS
EXCRETION
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
PATHOGENESIS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DIARRHEA
FECES
PATIENTS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CLEARANCE
DISEASES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
STEROIDS
STEROLS
SYMPTOMS
WASTES
550901* - Pathology- Tracer Techniques