1990 Volume 31 Issue 10 Pages 1159-1163
In vitro BrdU labeling indices of liver cells in biopsied specimens from 21 male cirrhotic (LC) patients, 14 female LC patients, 32 male chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and from 19 female CAH patients, were studied by BrdU-anti BrdU immunostain. The means BrdU L.I.±S.E. of male LC, female LC, male CAH and female CAH were 2.2±0.3%, 1.1±0.3%, 1.2±0.2% and 0.9±0.2%, respectively. Interesting enough, there was a significant difference (p<0.02) between male LC and female LC. While no statistical difference existed between male and female CAH. These cirrhotics were not accompanied by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the time af first examination. In these cirrhotics, follow up studies over 2 years were performed mainly by ultrasonography and computed tomography. In 6 cases out of 14 male LC, HCC developed, while none of 7 female LC developed. Conclusion: The DNA synthesis was markedly increased in male LC.
