The role of fibroblast growth factor 19 in pathogenesis of bile acid diarrhea of the patients who underwent cholecystectomy

The occurrence of chronic diarrhea after cholecystectomy (CCY) has been described by many researchers. However, the main mechanisms of the development of this diarrhea are not fully understood. Supposed that dysregulation of the bile acids (BA) absorption in the ileum is played a significant role in the development of diarrhea syndrome. Aim. To determine the role of the fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) level in the serum and BA concentration in feces in pathogenesis of bile acid diarrhea (BAD) in patients after CCY. Materials and methods. Sixty-one patients were examined at various times after CCY: 30 patients with chronic diarrhea that appeared after CCY (group 1) and 31 patients with normal stools (group 2). In all patients, the level of FGF19 in the blood serum, and the daily excretion of BA in the feces were studied. The control group consisted of 28 healthy individuals. Results. In the 1st group we found lower concentrations of FGF19 in the blood serum 86.2 ng/ml (67.8; 117.8) compared with concentrations in the 2nd group - 259 ng/ml (170.6; 318.8), p<0.001. The daily excretion of bile acids with feces in the 1st group was 657.4 mg/day (524.6; 830.1), which was twice more than in the 2nd group and the control group. It was established an inverse correlation between serum concentration of the FGF19 and the BA excretion in the feces in all examined patients. It indicates a possible relationship between the low concentration of FGF19 in blood serum and malabsorption of the BA. Conclusion. Low level of FGF19 in the blood serum and a high excretion of BA in the feces may be one of the causes of BAD in patients undergoing cholecystectomy. Our results indicate the important role of FGF19 in the development of chronic diarrhea, which can be considered as one of the variants of postcholecystectomy syndrome.