[Importance of carcinoembryonic antigen, alpha-fetoprotein and cholylglycine in differential diagnosis of viral hepatitis B and mechanical jaundice].

Fifty-four patients with viral hepatitis B (VHB) were examined at the height of the disease as were 30 patients with mechanical jaundice (MJ) of tumorous etiology and 19 normal persons. Mechanical jaundice was mainly characterized by a considerable growth of the concentration of carcinoembryonic antigen, whereas VHB by an increase of the cholylglycine level. Concomitant detection of those markers can be used in differential diagnosis of parenchymatous jaundice and mechanical jaundice of tumorous etiology. Alterations of the alpha-fetoprotein level were of no information content.