Table 3.

Distribution of fecal bile acids within the cirrhosis group

Median values in μg/100 mg dry stool	Early Cirrhosis (n=23)	Advanced cirrhosis on lactulose alone (n=12)	Advanced cirrhosis on lactulose +rifaximin (n=12)
Total Bile Acids	156.1	59.0	14.2*
Primary
CA (% in whom detected)	64.7 (22%)	20.4 (58%)	13.9 (92%)*†
CDCA (% in whom detected)	10.1 (56%)	25.9(75%)	11.6(92%)
Secondary
LCA (% in whom detected)	63.8 (87%)	26.5(67%)	4.1(25%)*†
DCA (% in whom detected)	35.8(83%)	35.6(67%)	5.7(33%)*†
Secondary/Primary Ratios
LCA/CDCA	7.5	2.2	2.2
DCA/CA	3.2	1.04	0.4*
LCA+DCA / CDCA+CA	9.6	0.7	0.0*

^*p<0.05 between groups on Kruskall-Wallis tests on median concentrations,

^†p<0.05 between groups on percent in whom the respective bile acids were detected; the median daily bowel movement frequency was similar in advanced cirrhotics with and without rifaximin (1.5 in each group). Early cirrhosis group consists of cirrhotics with Child A cirrhosis without prior/current complications and were not on lactulose or rifaximin.

CA: cholic acid, CDCA: chenodeoxycholic acid, LCA: lithocholic acid, DCA: deoxycholic acid