[Enzymatic activity of serum adenosine deaminase in different liver disorders]. / La actividad enzimática de la adenosina desaminasa (ADA) sérica en distintos procesos hepáticos.

The value of seric activity of adenosine deaminase has been detected in four group of patients with liver disease: acute viral hepatitis in 32 cases, liver cirrhosis in 30 cases, liver neoplasia in 12 cases, and cholelithiasis in 20 cases, against 30 patients as a control group. In addition, we studied 3 patients with alcoholic hepatitis and 1 with biliary cirrhosis. The highest level was found in hepatic cirrhosis and viral hepatitis the value being statistically significant and superior to the levels of the control group in 100% of the cases. This level was higher than normal in patients with liver tumor. The level was normal or mildly elevated in patients with cholelithiasis. The level was normal in patients with alcoholic hepatitis and high in biliary cirrhosis but lower than that observed in alcoholic cirrhosis.

[N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase in jaundice syndrome]. / Estudio del enzima N-acetil-B-D-glucosaminidasa en el síndrome ictérico.

The seric activity of the enzyme NAG (N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase) was studied in 3 groups of patients with jaundice of different etiology (extrahepatic, intrahepatic and acute hepatitis) and in a control group, in order to observe the discrimination capacity of this enzyme in each group. After the use of a fluorimetric method, the results were exposed, applying the statistical test, comparing different variables; the results are discussed and we conclude that NAG is an enzyme of easy detection and low cost to be included in the group of tests to study the biological pattern of jaundice.