title: Urinary transforming growth factor beta1 levels in hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease: correlation between high levels and severity of disease.
abstract: To assess the clinical relevance of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in chronic liver disease, urinary TGF-beta1 and circulating aminoterminal propeptides of type III procollagen (PIIINP) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay in 100 cirrhotic patients, 44 patients with chronic hepatitis, and 50 healthy controls. TGF-beta1 and PIIINP levels in cirrhotic patients were higher than those in patients with chronic hepatitis (each P < .0001) or healthy controls (each P < .0001), respectively. There was a correlation between TGF-beta1 and PIIINP levels in patients (r = .858, P < .0001). The higher the urinary TGF-beta1 level, the worse the severity of chronic liver disease (P < .001). TGF-beta1 levels in cirrhotic patients with antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) were higher than in those without (P < .0001). Compared with cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) alone, those with HBsAg and anti-HCV had higher TGF-beta1 levels (P < .001), a higher frequency of raised TGF-beta1 (P < .005), and a higher frequency of patients with Child-Pugh C (P < .005). Multivariate analysis indicated that the TGF-beta1 level was significantly correlated with the presence of cirrhosis. In conclusion, urinary TGF-beta1 levels may be used as a marker for hepatic fibrogenesis. Higher urinary TGF-beta1 levels correlate with more severe liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine*; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011347:Procollagen; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta