Genetic evidence of heterogeneity in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

Background And Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic aetiology of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) and the impact of known cholestasis genes (BSEP, FIC1, and MDR3) on the development of this disease.

Patients And Methods: Sixty nine Finnish ICP patients were prospectively interviewed for a family history of ICP, and clinical features were compared in patients with familial ICP (patients with a positive family history, n=11) and sporadic patients (patients with no known family history of ICP, n=58). For molecular genetic analysis, 16 individuals from two independently ascertained Finnish ICP families were genotyped for the flanking markers for BSEP, FIC1, and MDR3.

Inheritance of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in one kindred.

We report three sisters with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) and the pedigree of the family, including six generations. ICP was observed in five successive generations; most of the patients also had cholelithiasis. The uniform expression, the complete penetrance of the trait and the direct parent-to-child transmission support the Mendelian dominant mode of inheritance.

The treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy by dexamethasone.

Objective: To investigate whether dexamethasone suppression of fetoplacental oestrogen production can reduce obstetric cholestasis.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tampere, Finland.