Active Chronic Hepatitis: Use of Bromosulphthalein Tm and S in Estimating Disease Activity

The value of estimating the hepatic transport maximum (Tm) and storage (S) of bromosulphthalein in assessment of disease activity in 14 cases of active chronic hepatitis was investigated. Patients with active disease had a lower S and Tm than normal controls or patients with inactive disease. Patients with inactive disease had a normal Tm but a low S. Analysis of variance of liver function tests showed that Tm was the best single index of disease activity. Patients previously considered to have inactive liver disease may in fact have low grade activity which can only be demonstrated by measurement of the Tm.