Serum Somatomedin Peptides Measured by Somatomedin A Radioreceptor Assay in Chronic Liver Disease

Abstract

The levels of serum somatomedin peptides were determined with a somatomedin A radioreceptor assay utilizing human placental membranes. Low levels were found in 25 patients with liver cirrhosis and 28 patients with chronic hepatitis with the mean of 0.47 ± 0.05 and 0.60 ± 0.04 U/ml, respectively. There was a positive correlation between somatomedin A on one hand and serum albumin, cholinesterase, total cholesterol and thrombotest on the other. There was a negative correlation between somatomedin A and the indocyanine green retention test. These findings confirm earlier results obtained with bioassay.