BACKGROUND & AIMS Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the most common pregnancy-related liver disorder that affects from 0.2% to 15.6% pregnant women. The disease is connected with increased risk of fetal morbidity and mortality, but is unfortunately detected quite late. The diagnosis of ICP is based on only one manifestation: pruritus which mainly affects soles and palms. METHODS Twenty intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) women and twenty healthy pregnant women (control group) took part in the study. In the study group, blood sampling for baseline measurements was performed on the first day of hospital stay - before the commencement of treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) - and repeated after 7 days of 900 mg UDCA per day. An additional blood sample was collected on the second day after childbirth. In the control group, blood samples were collected directly after hospital admission. We compared plasma sphingolipids in samples of the subjects from ICP and ICP + UDCA-treated groups as well as the ICP group after delivery with the healthy controls. RESULTS Of all sphingolipids, the median values of C16-Cer and C18-Cer were significantly higher in the plasma of cholestasis patients not treated with UDCA as compared to the control. Following 7 days of UDCA treatment, a considerable decrease in C16-Cer, C18-Cer and the total concentration of bile acids was noted as compared to the baseline. CONCLUSION It is known that sphingolipids serve as modulators of liver regeneration. We assume these substances could be potential markers for detecting early onsets of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

中文翻译：

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鞘脂在肝内胆汁淤积的发病机理中的作用。

背景与目的妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症（ICP）是最常见的妊娠相关肝病，影响0.2％至15.6％的孕妇。该病与胎儿发病和死亡的风险增加有关，但不幸的是发现得很晚。ICP的诊断仅基于一种表现：瘙痒主要影响鞋底和手掌。方法二十名妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症（ICP）妇女和二十名健康孕妇（对照组）参加了研究。在研究组中，在住院的第一天（开始使用熊去氧胆酸（UDCA）治疗之前）进行了基线测量的血液采样，并在每天900 mg UDCA的7天后重复进行。分娩后第二天再采集一次血样。对照组在入院后立即收集血液样本。我们比较了ICP和ICP + UDCA治疗组以及ICP组与健康对照组分娩后的受试者样本中的血浆鞘脂。结果在所有鞘脂中，未接受UDCA治疗的胆汁淤积患者血浆中C16-Cer和C18-Cer的中值均显着高于对照组。UDCA治疗7天后，与基线相比，C16-Cer，C18-Cer和胆汁酸总浓度显着下降。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。入院后直接收集血液样本。我们比较了ICP和ICP + UDCA治疗组以及ICP组与健康对照组分娩后的受试者样本中的血浆鞘脂。结果在所有鞘脂中，未接受UDCA治疗的胆汁淤积患者血浆中C16-Cer和C18-Cer的中值均显着高于对照组。UDCA治疗7天后，与基线相比，C16-Cer，C18-Cer和胆汁酸总浓度显着下降。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝脏再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。入院后直接收集血液样本。我们比较了ICP和ICP + UDCA治疗组以及ICP组与健康对照组分娩后的受试者样本中的血浆鞘脂。结果在所有鞘脂中，未接受UDCA治疗的胆汁淤积患者血浆中C16-Cer和C18-Cer的中值均显着高于对照组。UDCA治疗7天后，与基线相比，C16-Cer，C18-Cer和胆汁酸总浓度显着下降。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。我们比较了ICP和ICP + UDCA治疗组以及ICP组与健康对照组分娩后的受试者样本中的血浆鞘脂。结果在所有鞘脂中，未接受UDCA治疗的胆汁淤积患者血浆中C16-Cer和C18-Cer的中值均显着高于对照组。UDCA治疗7天后，与基线相比，C16-Cer，C18-Cer和胆汁酸总浓度显着下降。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝脏再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。我们比较了ICP和ICP + UDCA治疗组以及ICP组与健康对照组分娩后的受试者样本中的血浆鞘脂。结果在所有鞘脂中，未接受UDCA治疗的胆汁淤积患者血浆中C16-Cer和C18-Cer的中值均显着高于对照组。UDCA治疗7天后，与基线相比，C16-Cer，C18-Cer和胆汁酸总浓度显着下降。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。与对照组相比，未经UDCA治疗的胆汁淤积患者血浆中C16-Cer和C18-Cer的中位数显着更高。UDCA治疗7天后，与基线相比，C16-Cer，C18-Cer和胆汁酸总浓度显着下降。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。与对照组相比，未经UDCA治疗的胆汁淤积患者血浆中C16-Cer和C18-Cer的中位数显着更高。UDCA治疗7天后，与基线相比，C16-Cer，C18-Cer和胆汁酸总浓度显着下降。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。结论已知鞘脂可作为肝再生的调节剂。我们认为这些物质可能是检测妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症早期发作的潜在标志物。