title: Levels of plasma des-gamma-carboxy protein C and prothrombin in patients with liver diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the plasma des-gamma-carboxy protein C activity, antigen and prothrombin levels in patients with liver diseases and their clinical significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma protein C activity (PC:C) was detected by chromogenic assay and antigen (PC:Ag) and des-gamma-carboxy protein C (DCPC) were detected by ELISA. Total prothrombin and unabsorbed prothrombin in plasma were detected by ecarin chromogenic assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the control, the levels of PC:C and PC:Ag in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cirrhosis (LC) were lower (PC:C: 104.65+/-23.0%, 62.50+/-24.89%, 56.75+/-20.14%, PC:Ag: 5.31+/-1.63 microg/mL, 2.28+/-1.15 microg/mL, 2.43+/-0.79 microg/mL, P<0.05). The levels of PC:Ag in patients with acute viral hepatitis (AVH) also was lower (2.98+/-0.91 microg/mL, P<0.01), but PC:C was close to the control (93.76+/-30.49%, P>0.05). The levels of DCPC in patients with HCC were remarkably higher (0.69+/-0.29 microg/mL, 1.18+/-0.63 microg/mL, 0.45+/-0.21 microg/mL, P<0.05) and its average was up to 50% of total PC:Ag. But those of DCPC in patients with AVH were not significantly different from the control. The levels of total prothrombin were lower in patients with LC, but higher in patients with HCC. The levels of unabsorbed prothrombin were predominantly higher than those of other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PC:C and PC:Ag in patients with liver diseases (except PC:C in AVH) were lower. The total prothrombin was lower in patients with LC. The higher level of unabsorbed prothrombin may be used as a scanning marker for HCC. DCPC may be used as a complementary marker in the diagnosis of HCC.
authors.affiliation: Haemostasis Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Changsha 410078, Hunan Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Fan
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zhi-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Min-Juan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shi-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011486:Protein C / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D011516:Prothrombin
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011486:Protein C; D011498:Protein Precursors; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D011516:Prothrombin