Valores de alfa-fetoproteína en pacientes con hepatitis viral crónica

the serum alpha-fetoprotein (afp) was determined in 59 patients aimed at knowing its levels and variation with time. these patients had a diagnosis of chronic viral hepatitis b or c, confirmed by liver biopsy. afp was measured every 4 months during a year by electrochemoluminiscence in an automatic analyzer. 100 % had normal figures in the initial determination. a normal range was maintained in the evolutive measures, excepting 2 cases with slightly elevated values. a trend toward increase was observed in the second measurement in 37.5 % of the patients with severe necroinflammatory activity and marked fibrosis according to biopsy. it was concluded that the percentage of patients with normal values of afp in chronic viral hepatitis is elevated and that it is not significantly modified with time.