title: Protein C in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and other liver diseases.
abstract: The coagulation inhibitor protein C was measured in 151 patients with various liver diseases. The protein C level was significantly decreased in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (n = 73) compared to patients with steatosis (n = 24) (40 +/- 2%) vs. 88 +/- 4%, mean S.E., p less than 0.001). It was also decreased in cases of acute liver damage (n = 8) and in patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis (n = 15) (35 +/- 7% and 36 +/- 4%, respectively). A significant correlation was found between protein C and Normotest, antithrombin, heparin cofactor II, (r = 0.83, r = 0.82, r = 0.81, respectively, p less than 0.001). There was also a significant correlation between protein C and serum concentrations of albumin (r = 0.61, p less than 0.001), but a negative association to bilirubin (r = -0.56). No significant association was found between protein C and aspartate aminotransferase, alaline aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase. In conclusion, protein C is low in advanced liver diseases and gives the same amount and type of information as Normotest, antithrombin and heparin cofactor II.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Odegaard
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Raknerud
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011486:Protein C / Q000378:metabolism*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011486:Protein C; D012709:Serum Albumin