| abstract |
Prolonged treatment with parenteral nutrition tends to induce hepatic steatosis, otherwise known as fatty liver. Increased formation of toxic secondary bile acids caused by prolonged contact of bile acids with intestinal bacteria, and reabsorption of these secondary bile acids from the intestinal lumen may have toxic effects on the liver resulting in hepatic steatosis. It has been discovered that bile acid sequestrants conventionally used for lowering serum cholesterol, can prevent or mitigate the hepatic steatosis associated with parenteral nutrition. Oral ingestion of a bile acid sequestrant, preferably cholestyramine, optionally in combination with an immunonutrient such as an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, a short-chain fatty acid, glutamine, arginine, an antioxidant, ribonucleic acids or nucleotides can prevent or mitigate hepatic steatosis. The invention also relates to prevention or mitigation of hepatic steatosis resulting directly or indirectly from other conditions such as cancer chemotherapy, sepsis, endotoxemia, burns, compromised intestinal function, bacterial translocation or AIDS. |