Influence of steroids on urea-cycle enzymes in chronic human liver disease

Activities of Krebs-Henseleit enzymes were determined in liver biopsies of normal persons and in patients suffering from alcoholic hepatitis and chronic active hepatitis. Prednisone was administered for five days in falling dosis (1.5 mg-0.5 mg/kg/body weight) to patients with alcoholic hepatitis and to controls. Patients with chronic active hepatitis received 15-20 mg prednisone daily for more than three months. In healthy persons prednisone did not influence the activities of Krebs-Henseleit enzymes. In patients with alcoholic hepatitis most of the urea-cycle enzymes are significantly decreased (p is less than 0.05) when compared to controls. After glucocorticoid administration enzyme activities remained unchanged. Activities of most of the urea-cycle enzymes are significantly (p is less than 0.05) decreased in untreated patients with chronic active hepatitis. In some of these patients, glucocorticoid administration was associated with a remission as proved by clinical, biochemical and histological data. Activities of the rate-limiting enzymes of the urea-cycle (ASAS, CPS) increased significantly in these patients. By contrast, alterations of enzyme activities could not be observed in patients who failed to respond favourably to steroid treatment.