title: Plasma alpha 1-antichymotrypsin in liver disease.
abstract: We studied 229 patients with biopsy verified liver disease and compared the plasma levels of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and alpha 1-antitrypsin. We found a significant overall correlation between alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and alpha 1-antitrypsin levels (r = 0.50, p less than 0.001). The strongest correlations were found in patients with chronic active hepatitis (r = 0.76, p less than 0.0001) and alcohol hepatitis (r = 0.60, p less than 0.001). Several clinical subgroups lacked correlation. Unexpectedly high alpha 1-antichymotrypsin values were found in patients with venous congestion. We also used the alpha 1-antichymotrypsin/alpha 1-antitrypsin ratio as a tool to identify PiZ carriers (intermediate alpha 1-antitrypsin-deficiency, PiZ). The sensitivity and predictive values were low and did not exceed that obtained by the simple use of an isolated alpha 1-antitrypsin determination. A small subgroup with low alpha 1-antichymotrypsin/alpha 1-antitrypsin ratio included patients with chronic active hepatitis of unknown etiology. Hypo-alpha 1-antichymotrypsinemia may be secondary to the liver disease per se or be an expression of an abnormal genetic trait.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002918:Chymotrypsin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D005260:Female; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D006519:Hepatitis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000097:blood; D019896:alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency
chemical_list: D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D002918:Chymotrypsin