Study of serum procollagen type III peptide in patients with hepatic cirrhosis from a clinical point of view.
N-terminal procollagen-III peptide (P-III-P) has been considered a marker of fibrogenesis and inflammatory activity of the liver. We measured the P-III-P serum levels in 83 cirrhotic patients fully characterized from a clinical and laboratory point of view. Cirrhotic patients had significantly higher P-III-P serum levels than controls (P < 0.0001). Of the cirrhotic patients 73.5% had increased P-III-P. A significant negative correlation was found between P-III-P and transaminases, and patients with normal values of alanine amino-transferase had higher P-III-P serum levels than those with increased values (P = 0.03). On the other hand, no significant association was found with portal hypertension, Child classes, or alcoholic liver disease. No one independent factor appears to be responsible for the increase in P-III-P. The measurement of serum P-III-P is of little if any use in the evaluation of cirrhotic patients.
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital de Galdácano, Vizcaya.
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Díaz
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Collazos
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Genollá
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood*
D011347:Procollagen