Procollagen-III peptide and chronic viral C hepatitis.
Chronic hepatitis develops in at least half of persons acutely infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Ten to 25% of these patients will develop cirrhosis. Serum procollagen-III peptide (PIIIP) may be of value in predicting the development of chronic active fibrogenic liver disease. It has been reported that in chronic viral C hepatitis, the levels of hepatitis C virus-RNA (HCV-RNA) correlate directly with the severity of hepatic histology and inversely with response to interferon therapy.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to correlate the level of PIIIP with HCV-RNA concentrations, ALT values, and histological severity in patients with chronic viral C hepatitis.


METHODS
Eighty-six patients with chronic C hepatitis were divided into three groups: group I (n = 34), mild chronic active hepatitis, group II (n = 25), moderate to severe chronic active hepatitis, and group III (n = 27), cirrhosis. HCV-RNA was measured by Quantiplex, and PIIIP was measured by radioimmunoassay-gnostic assay.


RESULTS
Mean +/- SD level of ALT in group I was 114 +/- 48 U/L, group II was 169 +/- 115 U/L, and group III was 160 +/- 94 U/L. The mean +/- SD level of HCV-RNA in group I was 110 +/- 130 x 10(5) Eq/ml, in group II was 140 +/- 140 x 10(5) Eq/ml, and in group III was 70 +/- 80 x 105 Eq/ml. The mean +/- SD level of PIIIP in group I was 0.6 +/- 0.2 U/ml, in group II was 0.9 +/- 0.4 U/ml, and in group III was 1.2 +/- 0.6. There was a significant difference in the levels of PIIIP among the three groups (p = 0.0001). There was no correlation among ALT, HCV-RNA, and PIIIP in any of the three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
PIIIP peptide determinations in patients with chronic viral C hepatitis are reflective of histological severity and may provide relatively noninvasive means of following disease progression.
Jeffers
L J
LJ
Division of Hepatology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida, USA.
Coelho-Little
M E
ME
Cheinquer
H
H
Vargas
C
C
Civantos
F
F
Alvarez
L
L
Reddy
K R
KR
Parker
T
T
de Medina
M
M
Li
X
X
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; D012367:RNA, Viral; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide; D000410:Alanine Transaminase