[The identification of plasma calcitonin in liver cirrhosis]

Increased levels of plasmatic calcitonin (PC) have been found in patients afflicted with liver cirrhosis (LC). Different circulating polypeptides of calcitonin with contrasting molecular weight (MW) have been observed by way of several methods of identification. The aim of our study is identify these types of PC in patients afflicted with LC, using a gel chromatography technique, comparing them with those obtained from patients with thyroid medullar carcinoma (TMC). A first PC peak with MW of 30,000 daltons (D) corresponding to macromolecular types of PC of LC was observed. Furthermore, a second peak of PC, corresponding to a synthetic human calcitonin and to monomers of PC in patients with TMC was noted. This indicates is a slight increase of monomeric PC in patients with LC, although its biological function is unknown.