Serum neopterin levels in children with hepatitis-B-related chronic liver disease and its relationship to disease severity.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate serum neopterin levels and their correlations with liver function tests and histological grade in children with hepatitis-B-related chronic liver disease.


METHODS
The study population comprised 48 patients with chronic active hepatitis B, 32 patients with hepatitis-B-related active liver cirrhosis and 40 normal controls. Serum neopterin was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
The mean +/- SD serum neopterin levels were 14.2 +/- 5.6 nmol/L in patients with chronic hepatitis, 20.3 +/- 7.9 nmol/L in patients with liver cirrhosis and 5.2 +/- 1.4 nmol/L in control group. Serum neopterin levels were significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatitis (P = 0.005) and cirrhosis patients (P = 0.008), than in control subjects. Cirrhotic patients had significantly higher serum neopterin levels than patients with chronic hepatitis (P = 0.004). There was a positive correlation between serum neopterin levels and alanine aminotransferase levels in patients with chronic hepatitis (r = 0.41, P = 0.004) and cirrhotic patients (r = 0.39, P = 0.005). Positive correlations were detected between serum neopterin levels and inflammatory score in patients with chronic hepatitis (r = 0.51, P = 0.003) and cirrhotic patients (r = 0.49, P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that serum neopterin levels can be considered as a marker of inflammatory activity and severity of disease in children with hepatitis-B-related chronic liver disease.
Gulcan
Enver Mahir
EM
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Istanbul Bakirkoy Maternity and Children Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. mahirgulcan@superonline.com
Tirit
Ipek
I
Anil
Ayse
A
Adal
Erdal
E
Ozbay
Gulsen
G
D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015854:Up-Regulation
D015415:Biomarkers; D019798:Neopterin