Effects of long term hydrophilic bile acid therapy on in vitro contraction of gallbladder muscle strips in patients with cholesterol gallstones.

Aim: To evaluate ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy on the in vitro contraction of gallbladder smooth muscle strips from cholesterol gallstone patients.

Methods: The contraction forces of gallbladder smooth muscle strips from 28 patients with cholesterol gallstones treated with UDCA were compared with contraction forces from 14 untreated patients. The strips were stimulated with increasing concentrations of cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8).