Efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid therapy in chronic viral hepatitis C with high serum ?-glutamyltranspeptidase levels

Abstract

We administered ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) orally, at a daily dose of 600 mg, for 4 months to 36 patients with chronic viral hepatitis C. Another 36 patients with chronic viral hepatitis C, treated with placebo for 4 months, served as controls. None of the patients were alcoholics and none suffering from auto-immune hepatitis. Of the 36 patients in the UDCA-treated group, 13 had high levels of serum γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT), i.e., exceeding 150U/l (normal PP<0.05). These results suggested that UDCA has the potential to reverse hepatocellular damage in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C, in whom high GGT levels may be due, in part, to a damaged interlobular bile duct. UDCA may be useful for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis C, especially in patients exhibiting a high level of GGT.