title: [Determination and significance of serum markers for fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find the relationship between serum levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), type III procollagen (PC III), laminin (LN), type IV collagen (IV-C) and hepatic fibrosis as well as to determine their value in clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  2600 serum samples from chronic hepatitis patients were tested with RIA for fibrosis indexes assays including HA, PC III, LN and IV-C. 280 of the patients with serum samples taken had liver biopsy performed and the biopsy material was examine pathomorphologically. Fibrosis indexes were compared according to inflammation grade, fibrosis stage and chronic hepatitis degree.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 2600 serum samples from chronic hepatitis patients, fibrosis indexes (including HA, PC III, LN and IV-C) had significant correlation with inflammation grade, fibrosis stage and the degree of chronic hepatitis (P < 0.01). The relating indexes to HA were 0.544, 0.548, 0.468 respectively, to PC III 0.495, 0.424, 0.335 respectively, to LN 0.214, 0.204, 0.184 and to IV-C were 0.464, 0.404, 0.412 respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum fibrosis indexes are fairly well correlated with the inflammation grade, fibrosis stage and the degree of chronic hepatitis. However, as diagnostic markers, they must be combined with liver function, ultrasonography and clinical features.
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000097:blood; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood; D007797:Laminin / Q000097:blood; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D024061:Collagen Type III; D024141:Collagen Type IV; D007797:Laminin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid