Value of Bile Acids in Diagnosing Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Metabonomic studies have related bile acids to hepatic impairment, but their role in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma still unclear. The study aimed to examine the feasibility of bile acids in distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma from post hepatitis C virus-induced liver cirrhosis. Methods: An ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry measured 14 bile acids in patients with noncirrhotic post hepatitis C virus disease (n = 50), cirrhotic post hepatitis C virus disease (n = 50), hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 50), and control group (n = 50). Results: The spectrum of liver disease was associated with a significant increase in many conjugated bile acids. The fold changes in many bile acid concentrations showed a linear trend with hepatocellular carcinoma > cirrhotic disease > noncirrhotic disease > healthy controls (p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed five conjugated acids TCA, GCA, GUDCA, TCDCA, GCDCA, that discriminated hepatocellular carcinoma from noncirrhotic liver patients (AUC = 0.85–0.96) with a weaker potential to distinguish it from chronic liver cirrhosis (AUC = 0.41–0.64). Conclusion: Serum bile acids are associated primarily with liver cirrhosis with little value in predicting the progress of cirrhotic disease to hepatocellular carcinoma.