[Serum cholic acid levels in patients with acute leukemia].

In 34 patients (16 women and 18 men) with acute leukaemias (8 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and 26 with acute myeloblastic leukaemia), as yet untreated, the serum levels were determined of conjugated cholic acid, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT), alanine aminotransferase (AlAT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cholinesterase (Chol). Serum conjugated cholic acid level was determined by radioimmunoassay. The mean values of AP and Chol activity were within the range of normal values in this laboratory, the values of AspAT and AlAT were slightly above this range, and LDH value exceeded twice this normal range. The mean bilirubin concentration was within normal range. The greatest changes were noted in conjugated cholic acid values, the mean value exceeded five times the upper normal range (1.0 mumol/l). In 30 patients (88%) the conjugated cholic acid level in the serum was above 1.0 mumol/l, in the remaining 4 cases it was above the mean value for the control group. No correlation was found between conjugated cholic acid and any of the determined parameters. These results point out that the serum level of conjugated cholic acid may be a valuable parameter for assessment of hepatocellular function in acute leukaemias.