[Determination of serum bile acids in hepatobiliary diseases. Clinical applicability]. / La determinazione sierica degli acidi biliari nelle malattie epatobiliari. Applicabilità clinica.

Determination of serum bile acids has long been regarded as the most sensitive indicator of liver function. An assessment was made of the clinical applicability of RIA evaluation of two of these acids, cholylglycine (CG) and sulpholithochocholyglycine (SLGG), on an empty stomach and 2hr after a cholecystokinetic meal in 109 liver patients ans 20 controls. After the meal test, both acids proved more sensitive than the usual liver function indices. Different mean values were observed for different diseases. They were in good correlation with the extent of histological damage. Values were highest in obstructive icterus, cirrhosis and neoplasia of the liver, fairly highly high in steatofibrosis, ACH and PCH, and normal in viral hepatitis in the course of resolution, aspecific reactive hepatitis, and steatosis. The meal test thus proved a good indicator of liver disease. Its wider use is to be hoped for in order that its limits and applications may be better understood.

[Determination of serum procollagen-III peptide in chronic liver diseases. Clinical usefulness]. / La determinazione sierica del peptide del procollagene-III nella epatopatia cronica. Utilità clinica.

Liver fibrosis determines the course and prognosis of chronic liver disease. Histological examination of liver biopsy is essential for diagnosing hepatic disease. Evaluation of serum concentration procollagen III peptides (sPIIIP) by radioimmunoassay (RIA) is a biochemical test useful for evaluating a fibrotic process. We have investigated 20 healthy subjects and 50 patients with chronic liver disease, histologically diagnosed by percutaneous liver biopsy: steatosis (8), fibrosteatosis (7), chronic persistent hepatitis (10), chronic active hepatitis (7), cirrhosis (18). SPIIIP levels were increased in patients with cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis and in these groups of patients such levels were well correlated with histological activity of hepatic disease. Evaluation of serum concentration of PIIIP by RIA seems to be a useful test for evaluating a fibrotic process in chronic liver diseases evolving towards cirrhosis.

[The procollagen-III peptide in the clinical surveillance of alcoholic hepatopathy and other chronic hepatopathies]. / Il peptide del procollagene-III nella sorveglianza clinica dell'epatopatia alcolica e di altre epatopatie croniche.

Liver fibrosis determines the course and prognosis of alcoholic liver disease. Evaluation of serum concentration of procollagen-III peptides (sPIIIP) is considered a biochemical test useful for evaluating a fibrotic process. We have investigated 30 healthy subjects and 53 patients with alcoholic liver disease, histologically diagnosed by percutaneous liver biopsy in four clusters: steatosis (11), fibrosteatosis (11), chronic active hepatitis (11) and cirrhosis (20). SPIIIP levels were increased in patients with cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis; while they were regular in patients with steatosis and fibrosteatosis. Evaluation of serum concentration of sPIIIP by radioimmunoassay seems to be an useful test for identifying patients with alcoholic liver disease with a good prognosis and patients in progress to cirrhosis and it is an useful test for control the course and evolution of chronic liver disease.

[Hepatitis C and chronic alcoholic hepatopathy]. / Epatite C ed epatopatia cronica alcolica.

We evaluated hepatitis C virus prevalence in 105 patients with chronic alcoholic liver disease by research of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) by second generation recombinant based enzyme immunosorbent to assay and immunoblot to assay. 46 patients of 105 (43.7%) were anti-HCV positive: 2 in steatosis group (9.5%), 3 in steatofibrosis (23%), 10 in chronic active hepatitis (66.6%), 22 in cirrhosis (59.4%) and 9 in hepatocellular carcinoma (47.3%). These patients had higher levels of serum gammaglobulin and transaminases than seronegative patients. We think that there is a correlation between high prevalence of antibodies anti-HCV and the evolution of damage in chronic alcoholic liver disease.