Altered Bile Acid Metabolism in Childhood Functional Constipation: Inactivation of Secretory Bile Acids by Sulfation in a Subset of Patients

Abstract

In most children with functional constipation, the fecal bile acid profile seems to be normal. There is a small subset of children, however, whose dominant fecal bile acid is the 3-sulfate of CDCA, indicating a novel disturbance in bile acid metabolism. Such sulfation abolishes the secretory activity of CDCA and may contribute to constipation.