Deoxycholic and sulpholithocholic acid concentrations in serum during infancy and childhood.

The concentrations of the two secondary bile acids (deoxycholic (DCA) and sulpholithocholic (SLCA) acid) were determined by radioimmunoassays in the serum of infants and children at ages ranging from 1 hour to 15 years. The same bile acids were measured also in the umbilical cord serum. The concentrations of the secondary bile acids in the serum of 1-hour old infants corresponded to those in the umbilical cord serum. Secondary bile acid serum concentrations were after the age of 7 days and up to the age of 3 to 6 months significantly lower than those in the umbilical cord serum. After the age of 6 months a significant increase in DCA serum concentrations could be shown. During the first 6 months of life DCA concentrations were clearly lower than those of SLCA. Our observations suggest that in the perinatal period DCA is mainly of maternal origin and that an alternate hepatic pathway may exist for the synthesis of lithocholic acid in early infancy.