Determination of serum fibrosis indexes in patients with chronic hepatitis and its significance.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between serum levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), type III procollagen (PCIII), laminin (LN), type IV collagen (IV-C) and hepatic fibrosis and to determine their value in clinical practice.


METHODS
2600 serum samples from chronic hepatitis patients were assayed for fibrosis indexes including HA, PCIII, LN and IV-C with RIA. Liver biopsy was performed in 280 of those patients and the biopsy material was examined histopathologically. The inflammation grade of the liver, stage of fibrosis and degree of chronic hepatitis were recorded and were compared with fibrotic indexes.


RESULTS
Among 2600 chronic hepatitis patients, every fibrotic index had a significant correlation with the inflammation grade, fibrosis staging and the degree of chronic hepatitis (P < 0.01). The coefficient correlation of the results of histopathological examinations to HA was 0.544, 0.548 and 0.468 respectively, that to PCIII, 0.495, 0.424 and 0.335, that to LN, 0.214, 0.204 and 0.184, and that to IV-C, 0.406, 0.404 and 0.412, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum fibrosis indexes are fairly well correlated with the inflammation grade of the liver, fibrosis staging and the degree of chronic hepatitis. However, as diagnostic markers, they should be considered in combination with liver function tests, ultrasonography and clinical manifestations.
Zheng
Min
M
Institute of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Cai
Weimin
W
Weng
Honglei
H
Liu
Ronghua
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000097:blood; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood; D007797:Laminin / Q000097:blood; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis
D024061:Collagen Type III; D024141:Collagen Type IV; D007797:Laminin; D011347:Procollagen; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid