Effect of High Dose Ursodeoxycholic Acid on its Biliary Enrichment in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has beneficial effects in cholestatic liver diseases. In primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) there is evidence that high doses (>20mg/kg) of UDCA may be more effective than average doses. Biliary enrichment of UDCA at such high doses may represent the decisive factor for its beneficial effect. Up to now it is not clear how high dose UDCA correlates with its biliary enrichment and whether bacterial degradation of large amounts of UDCA may lead to an increased bacterial formation of more toxic hydrophobic bile acids. Patients and Methods: We determined the biliary bile acid composition…