Protease inhibitors in liver disease.

Measurements of the principal protease inhibitors were carried out in patients with two types of chronic liver disease: alcoholic cirrhosis and primary biliary cirrhosis. Measurement of the two major protease inhibitors operative in the haemostatic mechanism--that is, antithrombin III and alpha 2-antiplasmin--showed significantly reduced levels in the alcoholic cirrhosis group, who satisfied clinical and biochemical criteria of impaired hepatocellular function, but not in the primary biliary cirrhosis group, who had relatively good preservation of hepatocellular function. Significant correlation of levels of both these major protease inhibitors with the serum albumin concentration was also found. No evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation was detected, and therefore failure of synthesis by the liver is the likely explanation of the low levels noted.