title: Serum alpha-fetoprotein in viral hepatitis and its complications.
abstract: Alpha-fetoprotein levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 40 cases of acute viral hepatitis, 5 cases of chronic persistent hepatitis, 15 cases of chronic aggressive hepatitis and 5 cases of hepatic coma from fulminant viral hepatitis. Serum concentrations were increased in 55% of patients with acute viral hepatitis and in about 33% of patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis. Levels resulted markedly raised among the patients with coma from fulminant viral hepatitis who survived. The high aplha-fetoprotein values may reflect liver cell regeneration after necrosis of a critical mass of hepatic tissue.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000276:immunology; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins