1978 Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 95-103
The Normotest (NT) that correlates positively with the activity of clotting factors II, VII, and X was examined on 136 patients with various liver diseases and 50 healthy controls.
The average value of NT (mean±S. D.) in healthy controls was 89.3±11.3%. Bearing in mind the 2 S. D. limit, we may assume the normal range of 67-112%.
NT value was significantly lower in patients with acute hepatitis in its florid phase, chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis, whereas the mean value of NT was within the normal range in patients with other liver disease.
When acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis were classified into two phases, respectively, that is, florid and recovery; active and inactive; and compensatory and decompensatory, the mean value of NT was significantly lower in a florid phase of acute hepatitis, an active phase of chronic hepatitis and a decompensatory phase of liver cirrhosis.
As a result, it was shown that NT value could serve as a measure of the severity of illness.
A similar tendency was indicated by the percentage of abnormal NT value.
When the time course of NT value was followed up, there was a relatively close correlation between NT value and transaminase in patients with acute hepatitis, but no such correlation was present in patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis.
When the correlation coefficients between NT and various liver fuction tests were calculated, it showed a highly significant correlation with ChE, BSP and albumin which are said to reflect protein synthesis in the liver and the function of parenchymal cells. But there was no correlation with transaminase, Al-Pase and total bilirubin.
When the histological finding of chronic hepatitis was studied in relation to NT value, it was revealed that the more advanced the piecemeal necrosis and fibrosis, the lower was NT value of patients.
