Lack of efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid for the treatment of liver abnormalities in obese children

Objective: To determine whether ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is effective fo r treatment of obesity-related liver abnormalities in children. Study design: Thirty-one children (21 boys; mean age, 8.7 years) had obesit y-related persistent elevation of aminotransferase levels, which was associ ated with ultrasonographic images of bright liver in 27. A preliminary inte rview determined which patients were (n = 18) or were not (n = 13) likely t o comply with a balanced low-calorie diet. Four subgroups emerged: patients who followed the diet (n = 11), patients treated with UDCA (10 mg/kg/d) gi ven alone (n = 7) or added to the diet (n = 7), and untreated control patie nts (n=6) Results: Diet alone determined weight loss and resolved biochemical liver a bnormalities in all patients. Addition of UDCA to the diet was no more effi cacious than weight loss alone. UDCA alone was ineffective for the treatmen t of liver abnormalities in all cases, and results did not differ from thos e observed in the untreated control group. Improvement of ultrasonographic abnormalities was observed in patients who lost weight, irrespective of UDC A administration. Conclusions: UDCA is not effective for the treatment of obesity-related liv er abnormalities in children.