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 mar ker of fibrogenesis and inflammatory activity of the liver. We measure d the P-III-P serum levels in 83 cirrhotic patients fully characterize d from a clinical and laboratory point of view. Cirrhotic patients had significantly higher P-III-P serum levels than controls (P<0.0001). O f the cirrhotic patients 73.5% had increased P-III-P. A significant ne gative correlation was found between P-III-P and transaminases, and pa tients with normal values of alanine amino-transferase had higher P-II I-P serum levels than those with increased values (P = 0.03). On the o ther hand, no significant association was found with portal hypertensi on, Child classes, or alcoholic liver disease. No one independent fact or appears to be responsible for the increase in P-III-P. The measurem ent of serum P-III-P is of little if any use in the evaluation of cirr hotic patients.