title: Reference change values for lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive α-fetoprotein and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive α-fetoprotein (AFP-L3) and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) have been routinely used as serological tumor markers of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for surveillance. The aims of this study were: (i) to determine the biological variation of AFP-L3 and DCP in patients with chronic hepatitis C; and (ii) to calculate the reference change values (RCVs) of AFP-L3 and DCP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and without HCC were enrolled in the study. Serum samples were collected at 14-day intervals, and 10 samples in total were obtained for each patient. AFP-L3 and DCP levels were measured by microchip capillary electrophoresis and liquid-phase binding assay. Intra-individual (CV(I)) and inter-individual (CV(G)) biological variations and RCVs were estimated from the data generated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CV(I) was 29.0% for AFP-L3 and 24.6% for DCP, and CV(G) was 63.5% for AFP-L3 and 40.4% for DCP. The RCVs for AFP-L3 and DCP were 68.3% and 58.5%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increases in values for AFP-L3 and DCP within 68.3% and 58.5% may be biological variations. Clinician should take these variations into consideration for the management of patients with HCV infection under surveillance of HCC.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Division, Wako Pure Chemical Industries Ltd., Osaka, Japan. kanke.futoshi@wako-chem.co.jp
authors.forename: Futoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kanke
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumada
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satomura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C033619:lentil lectin; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D011516:Prothrombin