title: Hyaluronic acid and aspartate aminotransferase levels normalized by liver function can reflect sinusoidal impairment in chronic liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between hyaluronic acid/aminopyrine breath test (HA/ABT) ratio and fibrosis score in chronic hepatitis, and between HA/ABT and clinical staging (child-turcotte-pugh'score, CTP; and model for end stage liver disease, MELD) in cirrhosis, as well as to evaluate the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/ABT in relation to the HA/ABT.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 48 patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and 35 patients with compensated cirrhosis (CIR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  HA/ABT and AST/ABT showed a more significant correlation with the fibrosis score than HA or ABT or AST alone in the 48 CHC patients: r=0.568 (P<0.0001), r=0.610 (P<0.0001), r=0.450 (P=0.0021), r=-0.449 (P=0.0021), and r=0.472(P=0.0012), respectively. Progressive liver damage (fibrosis 1-2 vs fibrosis 3-6 vs cirrhosis) was significantly (P<0.05) reflected by both HA/ABT (mean+/-SEM: 4.0+/-0.9 vs 18.1+/-4.2 vs 149.9+/-33.1) and AST/ABT (6.3+/-1.8 vs 12.7+/-1.6 vs 42.1+/-14.6). A strong relationship was found between HA/ABT and AST/ABT (r=0.755 P<0.0001). In cirrhotic patients, the most significant relationship was observed between HA/ABT and CTP r=0.483 and P=0.0049, and MELD r=0.523 and P=0.0023.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering that HA levels in chronic hepatitis depend on the progressive impairment of sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC), related to progressive fibrosis, HA/ABT ratio would seem to be the most specific reflection of progressive impairment of the SEC. AST/ABT could be used as a possible surrogate of HA in identifying SEC impairment in chronic hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit and Postgraduate School of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. rtesta@unige.it
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malfatti
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milazzo
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cordiviola
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cotellessa
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marabotto
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ceppa
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mamone
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Risso
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Testa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000632:Aminopyrine / Q000032:analysis; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D001944:Breath Tests; D018450:Disease Progression; D004727:Endothelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000632:Aminopyrine; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases