Clinical evaluation of serum biotin levels and biotinidase activities in patients with various liver diseases

: In order to evaluate the clinical significance of serum biotin and biotinidase in liver disease, serum biotin levels and biotinidase activities were determined in 83 patients with various liver diseases and 10 healthy controls. Serum biotin levels and biotinidase activities were determined by a simplified lactobacillus plantarum bioassay and liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection respectively. Serum biotin levels in decompensated liver cirrhosis, hepatoma and fulminant hepatitis were found to be significant low compared with healthy controls, while it was significant high in autoimmune hepatitis. There was no significant difference between serum biotin levels in the other liver diseases and healthy controls. In various liver diseases except for both acute hepatitis and alcoholic liver disease biotinidase activities were significantly reduced than in healthy controls. Serum biotinidase activities were correlated with serum albumin, prothrombin time, ChE and total cholesterol respectively, suggesting that biotinidase activities may reflect the degree of liver damage. These results seem that biotin deficiency may occur in some cases of severe liver diseases.