ABSTRACT
Serum P-III-P and laminim levels were measured in asymptomatic alcoholics during detoxication treatment. Liver biopsies were obtained, in order to detect liver damage, which was graded with a numeric score, considering values over 6 as severe damage. Serum fibrogenesis markers were also measured in a group of decompensated alcoholic cirrhotics. P-III-P levels were significantly higher in cirrhotic patients compared to alcoholics with or without liver damage and to normal controls. Laminin was not different between groups. P-III-P did not correlate with histological score in asymptomatic patients. In this study P-III-P and P1 laminin were not usefull discriminators of severe liver damage among asymptomatic alcoholics; their levels were found to rises significantly only when liver disease has become clinically evident