Free androgen indices, which reflect circulating free testosterone levels, were calculated as 100 × total testosterone levels/sex hormone-binding globulin levels in 30 male patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease.
Comparison of the level of expression of the thyroid hormone-regulated mRNAs encoding T4-binding globulin, sex hormone-binding globulin, cortisol-binding globulin, and transthyretin in normal and diseased tissue revealed no significant difference, suggesting that hepatocellular expression of these mRNAs is maintained in chronic liver disease despite a marked reduction in circulating T3 concentrations.