title: Association of laboratory parameters with viral factors in patients with hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  HCV infection may lead to hepatic fibrosis. In this study, we tried to determine whether there is any correlation of HCV genotypes and viral load to the clinical parameters such as ALT, AST, ALP, bilirubin, Hb level, patient's age and gender; and then correlated this association with disease progression in liver biopsy samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  In cross-sectional and observational study, 6048 serum HCV RNA positive patients were chosen. The study consists of 53 months from March 2006 to September 2010. Patients were divided into three cohorts to validate our data. Statistical analysis and correlation of lab parameters with viral factors was determined by using SPSS version 16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most prevalent genotype was 3 (70.9%) followed by 1 (13.3%) and 4 (7.4%), collectively. During Univariate analysis, in all cohorts; serum bilirubin, ALP, ALT and AAR showed significant correlation with genotypes, however multivariate analysis showed that all genotypes except 4a have no association with host biochemical markers. Disease progression was also independent of all genotypes. Serum ALP, ALT, bilirubin and viremea levels were significantly elevated in patients with genotype 4a. Viral load showed negative association with serum bilirubin (r = -0.112, P = 0.000) and ALP levels (r = -0.098, P = 0.000). We observed positive correlation of ALP and bilirubin levels, while negative associations of viral load with HCV liver disease progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disease progression seems independent of the genotypes. Relationship between ALP and bilirubin with viral load may be an attractive marker to guess disease progression in patients with hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Applied and Functional Genomics Lab, Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Bushra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ijaz
authors.forename: Waqar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Fouzia T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Javed
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gull
authors.forename: Muhammad T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sarwar
authors.forename: Humera
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kausar
authors.forename: Sultan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asad
authors.forename: Shah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jahan
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khaliq
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shahid
authors.forename: Aleena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sumrin
authors.forename: Sajida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hassan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004798:Enzymes; D006454:Hemoglobins; D001663:Bilirubin