Biochemistry

Preferred Sample Type

Bile Acids

Suitable Specimen Types

Li Hep Plasma

Bile Acids

Specimen Volume

1mL blood (~250uL sample)

Turnaround Time

24 hours

Sample Processing In Laboratory

No special requirements

Sample Stability

7 days at 2-8°C

General Information

Bile acids are formed in the liver from metabolism of cholesterol, conjugated with glycine or taurine, secreted into bile, re-absorbed from the intestine, transported to the liver by portal blood, and then actively reabsorbed. The total serum bile acid concentration reflects synthetic, excretory and re-absorptive functions of the liver. In healthy subjects, only a fraction of the bile acid pool is present in the peripheral circulation. Bile acid measurement is useful in the diagnosis of disorders of the hepatobiliary system, reflecting both the initial phase and longitudinal development of liver disease. Bile acids are increased in patients with acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver sclerosis and liver cancer.

 

Intra-hepatic/obstetric cholestasis, a rare liver disease unique to pregnancy, can lead to foetal distress and stillbirth. A characteristic symptom in the third trimester is pruritus (itchiness) involving mild increases in serum aminotransferases and high serum bile acids, many times greater than the upper limit of the reference interval for pregnancy. The cause of this disease is uncertain but high circulating levels of oestrogens have been implicated

Patient Preparation

No special patient preparation

Reference Range

<14 μmol/L for pregnant women

Source of Reference Range

In-house validation

Specifications

  • EQA Status: WEQAS
  • EQAS Scheme: Yes

Tags

cholesterol liver TBA

Creation Date

Monday, 08 August 2011

Modification Date

Thursday, 17 May 2018

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Copyright UHB Pathology 2018

Protection of Personal Information – Clinical Laboratory Services comply with the Trust Data Protection Policy and have procedures in place to allow the Directorate and it’s employees to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and associated best practice and guidance.

University Hospitals Birmingham medical laboratories at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital are UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accredited to the ISO 15189:2012 standard. For a list of accredited tests and other information please visit the UKAS website using the following link: https://www.ukas.com/find-an-organisation/

  • Molecular Pathology is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8759
  • Biochemistry is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8910
  • Haematology and Transfusion is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8784
  • Clinical Microbiology is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 8760
  • Cellular Pathology is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 10141
  • Musculoskeletal laboratory is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No. 9897
  • Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospital pathology laboratories are a UKAS accredited medical laboratory No.8217.

Tests not appearing on the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation currently remain outside of our scope of accreditation. However, these tests have been validated to the same high standard as accredited tests and are performed by the same trained and competent staff.

For further test information, please visit the test database: http://qehbpathology.uk/test-database

For further information contact Louise Fallon, Quality Manager, 0121 371 5962