[Current understanding of primary biliary cirrhosis].

Aim: To examine characteristics of the course of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

Material And Methods: The study of 150 PBC patients aged 26-82 years used clinical, biochemical, immunological and morphological methods.

Results: Antimitochondrial antibodies of type M2 (AMAM2) were detected in 85.

[Cytokines and cytokine therapy in gastrointestinal diseases].

Aim: To compare cytokine status in gastrointestinal diseases (GID) with reference to etiological factor, course, stage, therapy of the disease.

Material And Methods: Enzyme immunoassay was used to examine cytokines in the peripheral blood, tissue homogenates of 560 GID patients. GID were represented by ulcer disease (UD), cholelithiasis, chronic hepatitis (CH), glutenic enteropathy (GE), Crohn's disease (CD), nonspecific ulcer colitis (NUC).

[Cases of viral hepatitis of a combined etiology].

6 cases of viral hepatitis A in the patients with chronic liver diseases are described. Study of this problem is necessary for the improvement of epidemiologic control, well-timed diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. The possibility of parenteral virus of hepatitis A transmission is discussed.