Serum markers of liver fibrogenesis, and liver histology findings in patients with chronic liver diseases.
OBJECTIVE
Investigation of the relationships between the grade and stage of chronic liver diseases irrespective of their etiology using some novel serum markers of liver fibrogenesis, the "classical" serum markers of liver necro-inflammatory injury (such as transaminases), and the histomorphological evaluation of liver biopsies.


METHODS
Markers of liver fibrogenesis: serum metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1), tissue inhibitor of MMP-1 (TIMP-1), and N-terminal propeptide of the procollagen III (PIIINP); "liver function tests" (LFTs): bilirubin, transaminases ALT, AST; ALP, GMT; and liver morphology findings: necro-inflammatory activity, fibrosis; were studied in the series of 32, 'naive', i.e. yet untreated patients (women/men--11/21) with various CLDs: chronic viral hepatitis B or C 13 (CHB 3, CHC 10), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis 9, liver steatosis 4, primary biliary cirrhosis 5, drug-induced hepatitis. The diagnoses were based on the clinical, laboratory and liver imaging (ultrasonography) findings and confirmed by the liver biopsy.


CONCLUSIONS
Investigation of liver fibrogenesis serum markers (PIIINP, MMP-1, TIMP-1) in patients with various CLDs has shown statistically significant correlations of these parameters with "classical" serum markers of liver necro-inflammation (ALT, AST) and the results of histomorphological evaluation of the necro-inflammatory activity (parameters NAI, MEF) and fibrosis (parameter FI) in liver biopsies. (Tab. 4, Ref. 31.)
Holoman
J
J
Dept of Clinical Pharmacology, Slovak Postgraduate Academy of Medicine, Limbova 12, SK-833 03 Bratislava 37, Slovakia. holoman@upkm.sk
Glasa
J
J
Galbavy
S
S
Danis
D
D
Molnarova
A
A
Kazar
J
J
Bednarova
A
A
Misianik
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1