Serum neopterin levels have been determined by RIA in 105 patients aff
ected by chronic alcoholic liver disease, 68 of them cirrhotics, and i
n 12 controls. Serum Neopterin was significantly higher in patients th
an in controls, correlated with Pughs' score and Child's classificatio
n, and also with serum laminin and type III collagen N-terminal propep
tide, and with histomorphometrically determined liver fibrosis. Serum
neopterin levels were higher in patients who died than in survivors, s
erum neopterin levels over 19.15 nmol/l being associated with higher m
ortality rates.