Aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen in methotrexate-induced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Twenty-four psoriatic patients on methotrexate were studied with liver biopsies and serum measurements of aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIII NP). All but one of nine patients with serum levels of PIII NP above the normal range had liver fibrosis or cirrhosis and no normal liver biopsies were obtained in this group. In contrast, nine normal liver biopsies and two biopsies with minimal fibrosis were found among the 15 patients with normal serum levels of PIII NP. The study indicates that aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen can be utilized as a valuable non-invasive marker of fibrogenesis in the liver. This analysis is not specific for the liver, but it seems that the number of liver biopsies probably can be reduced in psoriatics on methotrexate who have normal levels of PIII NP.