Hormonal and enzymatic parameters of hepatic regeneration in patients undergoing major liver resections.
Thirteen patients who underwent 40% to 80% removal of their livers had blood samples drawn initially and daily on postoperative days 1 to 7. The enzyme marker of heightened polyamine metabolism, ornithine decarboxylase, and the indicator of DNA synthesis, thymidine kinase, were measured. In addition, the hormones (insulin, glucagon, estradiol and androgen), which in animals are known to reflect and possibly modulate regeneration, were measured. Changes in all these indices followed the same pattern as in rats, dogs and swine but at a slower rate. Ornithine decarboxylase and estradiol increased within 24 hr, but thymidine kinase and insulin rises did not become statistically significant until 3 to 5 days. Using these plasma or serum indices as surrogate measures of biochemical events in the liver itself, regeneration reached a maximum after 4 or 5 days. By computed tomography scan analysis, restoration of hepatic cell mass was not complete until 3 wk.
Francavilla
A
A
Department of Gastroenterology, University of Bari, Italy.
Panella
C
C
Polimeno
L
L
Giangaspero
A
A
Mazzaferro
V
V
Pan
C E
CE
Van Thiel
D H
DH
Starzl
T E
TE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000601:surgery*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000097:blood
D007328:Insulin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D005934:Glucagon; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase