Serum bile acids and their conjugates in breast-fed infants with prolonged jaundice.

Abstract

Serum bile acids and their conjugates were analysed in 20 breast-fed infants with prolonged jaundice. The mean total bile acid levels in serum were increased in the breast-fed infants with jaundice, as compared with those in either breast- or bottle-fed infants without jaundice. However, there were no significant differences between the groups. All the breast-fed infants examined, regardless of association with jaundice, had a bile acid pattern dominated by taurine conjugates (the ratio of glycine- to taurine-conjugated bile acid, G/T ratio, less than 1.00). In contrast, the bottle-fed infants without jaundice had a pattern dominated by glycine conjugates (G/T ratio, more than 1.00). Among the breast-fed infants with jaundice, the mean G/T ratio in those who had serum bilirubin levels over 10 mg/100 ml was significantly lower than that in those who had serum bilirubin levels of less than 10 mg/100 ml. The altered bile acid metabolism might be associated with the pathology of breast milk jaundice.

• Authors: Y Tazawa, M Yamada, M Nakagawa, T Konno, K Tada
• Journal: European journal of pediatrics (Eur J Pediatr) Vol. 144 Issue 1 Pg. 37-40 (May 1985) ISSN: 0340-6199 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 4018100 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Bile Acids and Salts
• Lipoprotein-X
• Vitamin E
• Taurine
• Glycine

Topics

• Bile Acids and Salts (blood)
• Breast Feeding
• Glycine (metabolism)
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Jaundice, Neonatal (blood)
• Lipoprotein-X (blood)
• Taurine (metabolism)
• Time Factors
• Vitamin E (blood)