The existence of a cellular immune deficit in alcoholic cirrhosis, and the alterations described in cytokine synthesis in this disease, led us to compare serum concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in a group of 33 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (classified according to the Child-Pugh grade of severity of liver disease) and 43 healthy volunteers. Serum concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 were significantly raised in alcoholic cirrhosis patients, with no significant differences between patients with liver disease of different grades of severity. The results suggest that cirrhosis involves the activation of the monocyte-macrophage system, which may contribute to the progression of the disease and its clinical manifestations.