Serum paraoxonase levels in patients with acute liver disease.

Paraoxonase is an anti-oxidant enzyme, which circulates in the plasma, tightly bound to HDL. This enzyme is known to be synthesized in the liver. This study was carried out in order to ascertain the diagnostic utility of this enzyme in acute liver disease. Serum basal as well as salt (NaCl) stimulated paraoxonase was estimated in 50 patients with an established diagnosis of acute liver disease and also in 50 healthy blood donors. Paraoxonase levels were significantly lower in patients as compared with controls (P < 0.05). The 'receiver operating characteristic' plot showed that this enzyme has a high degree of sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis acute liver disease. Serum PON is likely to emerge as an additional test of liver function, as it encompasses three different attributes of hepatic function namely, synthetic capacity, detoxication and secretory functions.