Serum haptoglobin concentrations in acute hepatitis A.

The serum haptoglobin (Hp) values of patients of acute hepatitis, whose serum total-HA antibody in the early clinical stage of the disease were positive, had been investigated. In the early clinical stage of these patients of acute hepatitis A mean serum Hp values were 100.57 +/- 25.20 mg/dl. These values were significantly lower than standard. Hp values of patients gradually increased to the standard values during improvement of the disease. Mean values of Hp in the healing stage of these patients were 128.36 +/- 29.83 mg/dl, and there was no significant difference between values in this stage of the disease and standard. But a significant difference was seen between serum Hp values in those two stages of acute hepatitis A. In this study it was observed that the ability of the Hp biosynthesis in hepatic cells had decreased in the early clinical stage of acute hepatitis A, and it recovered in the healing stage. Serum Hp values could be an indicator in the stage of acute hepatitis A.