We have measured serum
laminin, a marker of
portal hypertension, in 151 patients with nonmalignant
liver diseases, to evaluate its utility in
cirrhosis and
portal hypertension. There were abnormal serum levels in 43.1% of the patients as a whole and in 62.7% of the cirrhotics.
Laminin showed a correlation with many laboratory tests, especially those that reflect
liver insufficiency and alcohol intake. Cirrhotics had higher
laminin levels than noncirrhotics (p < 0.0001); an association was also found with
portal hypertension (p < 0.0001), but
laminin was also increased in patients without
portal hypertension. Our results suggest that
liver dysfunction can also lead to abnormal
laminin concentrations, probably through slower metabolization rate.
Laminin serum concentrations reflect the severity of the
liver disease, and are also a marker of alcohol consumption. Determination of
laminin serum levels could play an adjunctive role with respect to other liver tests in the evaluation of these patients although the measure does not really provide more useful information.