Ingestion of low concentrations of sucrose or hydrochloric acid solutions accelerates mortality in rats with cholestatic liver disease.

Mortality rates were monitored in bile duct ligated (BDL) rats which were consuming flavor solutions in addition to water and chow. Following ligation of the common bile duct, animals were offered a single concentration of a flavor solution (200 mM NaCl; 400 mM sucrose; 100 mM urea; 5 mM HCl) in addition to water. During three weeks postligation, mortality rates were compared between groups of ligated animals consuming either one of the taste solutions or consuming only water. Within the first five days postligation, mortality was 70% in ligated animals drinking HCl and 50% in animals consuming sucrose, compared to 30% for urea, 10% for sodium chloride and 0% in animals drinking only water. Total mortality of ligated rats consuming HCl or sucrose solutions was significantly increased compared to animals consuming only water. The results suggest that consumption of low concentrations of sucrose or HCl solutions during the initial stages of liver disease in BDL rats may drastically accelerate their mortality rate.