In the subgroup of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis  , ursodeoxycholic acid  reduced total cholesterol ( WMD : − 29.86 mg/dL , 95 % CI : -47.39 , − 12.33 , p = 0.001 ) and LDL-C ( WMD : -37.27 mg/dL , 95 % CI : -54.16 , − 20.38 , p < 0.001 ) concentrations without affecting TG and HDL-C. Conclusion This meta- analysis suggests that ursodeoxycholic acid therapy might be associated with significant total cholesterol lowering particularly in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Objective The aim of this meta- analysis of r and omized placebo-controlled trials was to examine whether ursodeoxycholic acid treatment is an effective lipid-lowering agent .
Comparative efficacy and side effects of ursodeoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic acids in dissolving gallstones. A double-blind controlled study.
In a double-blind controlled study of ursodeoxycholic acid ( 400 and 800 mg/day ) and chenodeoxycholic acid ( 375 and 750 mg/day ) , in comparison with placebo , ursodeoxycholic acid was significantly more effective than chenodeoxycholic acid in dissolving gallstones after 12 mo of treatment . Although there continued to be better dissolution during ursodeoxycholic acid treatment ( dissolution complete in 30 % and partial in another 30 % of the patients ) than during chenodeoxycholic acid treatment ( dissolution complete in 7 % and partial in 40 % ) at 24 mo , this difference between the treatment groups was no longer statistically significant . The incidence of floating stones was significantly higher in the patients who dissolved their stones than in those who did not ( p less than 0.001 ) . The three failures of dissolution of floating stones during bile acid treatment were associated with chenodeoxycholic acid therapy -- two of them with the 750-mg and the third with the 375-mg doses . Gallstone dissolution with ursodeoxycholic acid occurred in spite of a rise in biliary cholesterol saturation , which was consistent with a nonmicellar mechanism of cholelitholysis . Furthermore , more than threefold serum elevations of L-alanine aminotransferase were observed only during chenodeoxycholic acid therapy . They occurred in 2 patients treated with 375 and 750 mg/day , respectively . The enzyme levels normalized after discontinuation of chenodeoxycholic acid and have remained normal for 13 and 8 mo , respectively , after the institution of treatment with 800 mg/day of ursodeoxycholic acid . There was no correlation between the liver tests and biliary levels of lithocholic acid . Of all the symptoms studied , only constipation showed changes that approached statistical significance ( p = 0.0681 ) . There was a significant improvement of constipation in the combined chenodeoxycholic acid groups when they were compared with the combined ursodeoxycholic acid groups . The total bile acid pool exp and ed significantly in both the chenodeoxycholic acid and in the 800-mg ursodeoxycholic acid treatment groups . The marked increases of biliary ursodeoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid  , respectively , indicated compliance with the treatment in all but 1 bile acid-treated patient . Neither serum triglycerides nor serum cholesterol showed significant changes in any of the treatment groups . The study shows that ursodeoxycholic acid  dissolves gallstones faster and with fewer side effects than chenodeoxycholic acid . The results of the study are also consistent with the view that ursodeoxycholic acid is cholelitholytic at a lower dose than is chenodeoxycholic acid
In the subgroup of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis  , ursodeoxycholic acid  reduced total cholesterol ( WMD : − 29.86 mg/dL , 95 % CI : -47.39 , − 12.33 , p = 0.001 ) and LDL-C ( WMD : -37.27 mg/dL , 95 % CI : -54.16 , − 20.38 , p < 0.001 ) concentrations without affecting TG and HDL-C. Conclusion This meta- analysis suggests that ursodeoxycholic acid therapy might be associated with significant total cholesterol lowering particularly in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Objective The aim of this meta- analysis of r and omized placebo-controlled trials was to examine whether ursodeoxycholic acid treatment is an effective lipid-lowering agent .