Bile Acid Diarrhea

Abstract

Diarrhea is a very common gastrointestinal symptom, and the presence of higher concentrations of bile acid in the colon leads to bile acid diarrhea (BAD). In BAD patients, a portion of bile from the small intestine that is normally controlled by enterohepatic circulation is present at a high concentration in the lumen of the large intestine, resulting in increased motility and secretion of the large intestine. The prevalence of BAD is estimated to be 1-2% of the general population, and it comprises one-third of the instances of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. The clinical symptoms of BAD include chronic diarrhea, increased frequency of defecation, urgency to defecate, fecal incontinence, and cramping abdominal pain. The pathophysiology of BAD has not yet been fully elucidated. However, recent studies have reported increased intestinal permeability, shortened intestinal transit time, and changes in the intestinal microbial community to be the possible causes of BAD. Although fecal and serum bile acid tests are widely used for diagnosis, new test methods that are non-invasive, inexpensive, and have high sensitivity and specificity are needed at various institutions to facilitate the diagnosis. The selenium homo-tauro-cholic acid (SeHCAT) test is the gold standard for BAD diagnosis and severity assessment. The validation of several other serum markers, such as 7-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (serum 7αC4) and the fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) for use in clinical practice is ongoing. Although bile acid sequestrants are the mainstay of treatment, the development of drugs that are more effective and have better compliance is required. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists are showing promising results.