title: Determination of serum fibrosis indexes in patients with chronic hepatitis and its significance.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Honglei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Ronghua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D024061:Collagen Type III; D024141:Collagen Type IV; D007797:Laminin; D011347:Procollagen; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid