title: Clinical utility of serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 concentrations in the assessment of liver fibrosis due to chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationships between serum concentrations of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and severity of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 101 patients with hepatitis B and 54 healthy control  subjects were consecutively enrolled. Serum MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum MMP-2 concentrations in patients with stage F2 - F4 fibrosis were significantly higher than in patients with stage F0 - F1 fibrosis and control subjects,  but no significant difference was found between patients with stage F0 - F1 fibrosis and control subjects. Significant differences in serum TIMP-2 concentrations were found between patients with stages F2 - F4 and F0 - F1 fibrosis, and between stages F0 - F1 fibrosis  and healthy control subjects. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of serum TIMP-2 and MMP-2 for predicting clinically significant fibrosis (stage F2 - F4) were 0.899 and 0.770, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum TIMP-2 and MMP-2 assessment may represent a valuable noninvasive  diagnostic test for liver fibrosis in hepatitis B.
authors.affiliation: High Vocational Technological College, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2