title: Multivariate discriminant function based on six biochemical markers in blood can predict the cirrhotic evolution of chronic hepatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serologic markers have been proposed for monitoring hepatic fibrosis in chronic active liver disease. Because none of these markers, when used singly, is totally satisfactory, we developed and evaluated a multivariate approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied two cohorts of chronic hepatitis (54 patients) and cirrhosis patients (49 patients) to identify a panel of biochemical markers that discriminates between the two diseases. Using multivariate discriminant analysis, we selected a function, based on the concentrations of six biochemical markers (fibronectin, prothrombin, pseudocholinesterase, alanine aminotransferase, manganese superoxide dismutase, and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase). We then prospectively validated this function on a second temporal cohort of patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate discriminant analysis correctly classified 93.7% of patients (94.3% of chronic hepatitis and 92.9% of cirrhosis patients) in the first cohort and 85% of patients (89.5% of chronic hepatitis patients and 81% of cirrhosis patients) in the second cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Discriminant analysis of results of six inexpensive biochemical markers provides a high predictive value for differentiation between liver cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. Consequently, these biochemical markers condensed into a multivariate discriminant analysis value for each patient provide information that can be contributory for subsequent options during the evolution of the natural history of chronic hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biochimica e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, via S. Pansini 5, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castaldo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oriani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cerini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Intrieri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Molinaro
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borgia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sacchetti
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers