Serum somatomedin activity measured as sulphation factor in peripheral, hepatic and renal veins of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.

Serum somatomedin (SM) activity, measured as sulphation factor on chick embryo cartilage, and growth hormone (GH) levels were measured in peripheral, hepatic and renal veins of 23 patients with a alcoholic cirrhosis. SM activity (mean +/- SEM) was 0.65 +/- 0.05 U/ml in peripheral vein, 0.59 +/- 0.04 U/ml in hepatic vein, and 0.74 +/- 0.07 U/ml in renal vein. Mean GH levels were respectively 2.8, 2.5 and 3.1 ng/ml. Compared to peripheral vein, SM increase in renal vein was 19% (P less than 0.05). Serum SM activity was significantly lower in 13 patients with alcoholic hepatitis associated with cirrhosis than in other 10 patients (P less than 0.02 in hepatic blood and P less than 0.05 in peripheral blood). The decrease of SM activity seems related to cytolysis and hepato-cellular insufficiency. At last, in patients with alcoholic hepatitis, SM activity was lower in the hepatic vein than in the peripheral vein (P less than 0.05). The cause of this difference remains under discussion, no SM inhibitors being found in the serum samples used in this study.