Cholestasis and cholestatic syndromes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review highlights recent advances in understanding the regulation of bile acid transport in cholestasis and in the pathogenesis, outcomes, epidemiology, and treatment of a variety of cholestatic liver diseases and their associated complications.

RECENT FINDINGS: Highlights include additional understanding of the role of the nuclear receptors farsenoid X receptor, pregnane X receptor, and constitutive androstane receptor in bile acid homeostasis, new understanding of the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis, familial intrahepatic cholestasis, biliary atresia, and primary sclerosing cholangitis, and clinical trials of therapies for intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, primary biliary cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis.

SUMMARY: Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms, epidemiology and pathogenesis of cholestasis continues to advance. These advances will hopefully lead to more effective therapies for specific cholestatic conditions.