[Levels of hyaluronic acid in chronic viral C hepatitis with relationship to liver steatosis].
Hialuronic acid, important element of extracellular matrix, plays a significant role in liver fibrosis. The aim of the work is to evaluate serum hialuronic acid concentrations in patients with chronic viral C hepatitis (CHC) and in patients with alcoholic liver steatosis in correlation with liver morphology and classic liver function tests.


METHODS
The study group consisted of 38 persons: 17 with CHC, including 8 with coexisting steatosis, 8 with alcohol liver steatosis and 13 healthy subjects as a controls. Hialuronic acid (HA) was measured in serum with the use of enzyme-linked binding protein assay, produced by Chugai Diagnostics Science Co., Japan.


RESULTS
The highest mean HA concentration was found in CHC patients with steatosis (95.5 +/- 40.3 ng/ml) and it was significantly higher than among controls (56.9 +/- 17.8 ng/ml). The biggest necrosis and inflammation changes and fibrosis were observed in this group. HA concentration in alcoholic liver steatosis was insignificantly higher than among healthy controls (72.8 +/- 45.8 ng/ml). The lowest concentrations of HA were found in CHC patients without steatosis (32.9 +/- 9.8 ng/ml).


CONCLUSIONS
There is correlation between serum HA concentration and liver fibrosis.
Grzeszczuk
Anna
A
Kliniki Obserwacyjno-Zakaźnej Akademii Medycznej w Białymstoku.
Łapiński
Tadeusz W
TW
Panasiuk
Anatol
A
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests
D006820:Hyaluronic Acid