[Idiopathic ductopenia of adulthood: favorable effect of ursodeoxycholic acid therapy].

A 59-year-old woman presented with chronic, clinically asymptomatic cholestasis. Idiopathic adulthood ductopenia was diagnosed on the basis of clinical, laboratory and morphological findings. A retrograde cholangiographic study demonstrated intact large bile ducts with an apparent reduction of the small caliber intrahepatic ducts. The patient was treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (dosage 750 mg/day) which led to a decrease of alkaline phosphatase and Y-GT levels (before therapy: AP ca. 650 U/l; Y-GT ca. 150 U/l; after 6 month of treatment: AP ca. 350 and Y-GT ca. 30 U/l), suggesting, that the drug might be efficacious.