Postprandial serum bile acid for the detection of hepatobiliary disease

Fasting and two-hour postprandial serum bile acid concentrations were measured in ten normal subjects and 26 patients with hepatobiliary disease. The two-hour postprandial serum bile acid was the only test with abnormal results in all 26 cases. No significant postprandial elevations occurred in normal controls. Ten patients had abnormal twohour postprandial serum bile acid values in association with normal fasting levels, and all showed a minimum 70% two-hour postprandial increase. A two-hour postprandial serum bile acid determination is a sensitive screening test for hepatobiliary disorders.