AFP has proven to be a useful marker for liver neoplasms. The authors assayed AFP plasma levels in patients taking low-dose estro- progestinics . Patients were divided into three groups on the basis of their living habits. No difference was found in any group between AFP levels before and after treatment. However, in the group of smokers using oral contraceptives AFP levels were significantly higher.
PIP: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) plasma levels were assayed in women taking low dose combined preparations as AFP has proven to be a useful marker for benign or malignant liver neoplasms. 150 patients who sought advice on oral contraceptives (OCs) at the day centers of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Sassari (Italy) were examined. They ranged in age from 18-40 and all underwent the usual tests for detecting changes in the hepato-biliary function. Patients with previous liver pathologies were excluded on the basis of anamnesis and hematochemical tests. The study concentrated on 110 patients who were subdivided into 3 groups on the basis of some living habits. Group 1 included women only taking OCs; group 2 those who took OCs and smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day (OC+smoke); and group 3 included patients using OCs and taking alcoholic drinks as a habit (OC+alcohol). Serum AFP was assayed in all patients prior to treatment; the 2nd assay was carried out after a period of therapy with combined OCs lasting from 24-36 months. The data obtained were statistically analyzed according to the variance method. All changes in AFP levels in the 3 groups before and after combined OC treatment were compared and differences between the groups studied. There were no statistical differences between AFP levels before and after treatment in the 3 groups examined. In all cases, AFP levels were well below 25ng%ml. In the group of smokers who used OCs, AFP levels were significantly higher than in the higher 2 groups. These increased levels were always within normal limits and never reached 25ng%ml; AFP exceeding this value is considered as evidence of liver damage. The data show that the association of smoking and OCs can have unfavorable impications for the liver function.