Sex steroids in bilharzial liver affection. 1. estrogens.

The serum levels of estrone, estradiol and estriol in males with various stages of bilharzial liver disease were determined using a radioimmunoassay method. The study included thirty male patients with bilharzial liver disease representing the three stages of hepato-splenomegaly, shrunken liver and ascites. Twenty healthy males were taken as controls. Serum estrone and estriol levels were significantly higher, serum estradiol showed either mild decrease or insignificant change in the bilharzial group as compared to the normals.