Serum levels of cytokeratin-18 (tissue polypeptide-specific antigen) in liver diseases.

Objective: The tissue polypeptide-specific antigen (TPS, cytokeratin-18, a normal constituent of the hepatocyte cytoskeleton) is a standard tumour marker. This study aimed to evaluate serum TPS levels in patients with liver disease.

Methods: Serum TPS was measured with a commercial immunoassay in 884 individuals (753 outpatients from a liver disease clinic, 131 patients admitted to the hospital with acute liver disease).