Changes of serum level of carbohydrate antigen CA19-9 in patients with liver diseases and its clinical significance

Objective To observe the serum levels of CA19-9 in liver disease patients and their clinical significance. Methods Serum levels of CA19-9 were determined with RIA in 30 patients among whom there were 12 patients with chronic hepatitis, 1 patient with acute hepatitis, 10 with cirrhosis of liver,3 with autoimmune hepatitis and 4 with hepatic failure(3 with chronic severe hepatitis B and 1 with hepatolenticular degeneration). Results The total positive rate of CA19-9 was 83.33%(25/30), and among most of the patients the CA19-9 levels were from 1×ULN (upper limit of normal) to 30×ULN(72%, 24/25). The serum level of CA19-9 was positively related to the levels of serum bilirubin(P0.05). Conclusion Serum CA19-9 being at high levels in patients with liver disease is very popular.The CA19-9 determination is not helpful for the exclusive dianosis of pancreatic and liver malignancies.