Serum "prealbumin" as an index of liver function in human hepatobiliary disease.

Serum prealbumin concentrations have been studied, by a quantitative immunological procedure, in patients with secondary carcinoma of the liver, chronic active hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, cryptogenic cirrhosis, obstructive jaundice, inflammatory bowel disease, and myocardial infarction. The results showed that prealbumin concentration is significantly decreased when liver function is impaired. In diseases not associated with liver damage the concentrations of prealbumin were within the normal range. The advantage of this biochemical procedure is that serum prealbumin concentration is a true index of liver function, whereas serum enzyme activities signify only the degree of hepatocellular damage, which may not always quantitatively reflect liver function. Determination of serum prealbumin is therefore valuable in the diagnosis of liver disease and in the monitoring of treatment.