Increased urinary levels of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) in alcoholics.
BACKGROUND
Urinary levels of tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS, cytokeratin-18) have been proposed as a marker of urothelial malignancies. Previous studies have shown that serum TPS levels are elevated in alcoholics. This study was designed to determine whether alcoholics had elevated urinary TPS levels as well.


METHODS
Serum and urinary TPS levels were determined in 24 alcoholics and 15 healthy controls by means of a commercial chemiluminiscent immunoassay.


RESULTS
Serum TPS levels were higher in alcoholics than in controls (median 332 U/L, range 51-21241 U/L versus median 17 U/L, range 15-65 U/L, respectively, p<0.001). Urinary TPS levels were also higher in alcoholics than in controls (median 244 U/L, range 22-1267 U/L versus median 66.5 U/L, range 15-600 U/L, respectively, p=0.001). Urinary TPS levels were correlated with serum TPS levels in alcoholics.


CONCLUSIONS
Urinary TPS levels are elevated in alcoholics. Consequently, the specificity of urinary TPS as a tumor marker may be limited in alcoholics.
Barros
Paula
P
Department of Internal Medicine, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela 15706, Spain.
Gonzalez-Quintela
Arturo
A
Mella
Carmen
C
Perez
Luis-Fernando
LF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*
D010455:Peptides; C089984:tissue polypeptide specific antigen