CHANGES OF PLASMA AMINO ACIDS AND PLASMA TRANSFERRIN IN ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASES

Abstract

Plasma amino acids and plasma α-amino-n-butyric acid (AANB) levels and the ratios of AANB to leucine were measured in 24 cases of alcoholic liver diseases and 14 cases of non-alcoholic liver diseases. And microheterogeneity of plasma transferrin was also determined. The pattern of plasma amino acids in alcoholic liver diseases was not significant different from that of non-alcoholic liver diseases. No significant change of the patterns of plasma amino acids was observed in alcoholic liver diseases following abstinence. Plasma AANB levels and AANB to leucine ratios tended to be decreased following abstinence in many cases of alcoholic liver diseases. However, incidences of the cases showing abnormality in plasma AANB and AANB to leucine ratio were almost same in alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases. Incidence of microheterogeneity of plasma transferrin was higher in alcoholic liver diseases than non-alcoholic liver diseases. For the biochemical markers of heavy drinkers, determination of microheterogeneity of transferrin was more usefull than that of AANB to leucine ratios.