Studies on secretory component in digestive disease. IV. Levels of serum secretory component in liver disease.

The levels of serum secretory component (SC), immunoglobulins, rheumatoid factor, HBs-antigen and HBs-antibody were determined in patients with liver disease, especially chronic liver disease. In chronic liver disease, decreases in serum SC were accompanied by increases in the titer of rheumatoid factor. Patients with chronic liver disease and HBs-antigen or HBs-antibody had decreased levels of serum SC compared to seronegative patients. There was no correlation between the levels of serum SC and immunoglobulin in patients with chronic liver disease.