SERUM NEOPTERIN LEVELS IN ALCOHOLIC LIVER-DISEASE

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.