Short‐term ursodeoxycholic acid treatment improves gallbladder bile turnover in gallstone patients: a randomized trial

• Published in: Neurogastroenterology and motility 2005-10, Vol.17 (5), p.680-686
• Main Authors: Guarino, M. P., Carotti, S., Sarzano, M., Alloni, R., Vanni, M., Grosso, M., Sironi, G., Maffettone, P. L., Cicala, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Bile - drug effects; Bile - physiology; Bile - secretion; Cholagogues and Choleretics - therapeutic use; Fasting; Female; Gallbladder - diagnostic imaging; Gallbladder - drug effects; Gallbladder - pathology; gallbladder bile turnover; gallbladder motility; Gallstones - diagnostic imaging; Gallstones - drug therapy; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Placebos; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography; ursodeoxycholic acid; Ursodeoxycholic Acid - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1350-1925; 1365-2982
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2982.2005.00683.x

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) prevents in vitro gallbladder (GB) muscle damage caused by acute cholecystitis and reduces risk of biliary pain and complications in gallstone (GS) patients. These effects could be partially explained by the improved GB bile turnover. Objectives:  To assess the effect of short‐term UDCA treatment on GB motility and bile turnover. Methods:  Ultrasonographic (US) assessment of GB volumes was performed in 16 GS patients, in the postprandial phase, for 90 min with a time sampling of 1 min, before and after 30 days of UDCA (10 mg kg−1 die−1) or placebo, randomly assigned. US data were analysed with statistical tools and with computer fluido‐dynamic (CFD) software FluentTM to simulate GB bile flow. Results:  After therapy, fasting volume (FV) increased from 21.6 ± 9 to 28.2 ± 12 mL (p