[A method for the determination of liver alkaline phosphatase in feces and their activity in intra- and extrahepatic cholestasis (author's transl)].

Using precipitating antibodies to human liver alkaline phosphatase (L-AP), a quantitative method is evaluated for the determination of L-AP-activity in feces. Normal controls (n = 42) exhibit a logarithmic normal distribution. Patients with intrahepatic cholestasis (n = 36) demonstrate an increase, patients with extrahepatic cholestasis (n = 23) a decrease of the fecal L-AP-activity. Variations of fecal L-AP-activities due to a varying water content of the stools could be excluded by simultaneous determination of intestinal AP-activity. Prae- and postoperative determinations in 12 patients with extrahepatic cholestasis yielded an increase of L-AP-activity after reconstructive surgery. In intrahepatic cholestasis, high fecal L-AP-activities are found together with relative low total AP-activities in the serum whereas in extrahepatic cholestasis low fecal L-AP-activities are associated with relative high total AP-activities in the serum.