title: Liver fatty acid-binding protein is a diagnostic marker to detect liver injury due to chronic hepatitis C infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is a small molecule. The aim of this study was to examine L-FABP levels and to detect its diagnostic value in chronic hepatitis C (CHC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 22 patients with CHC and 20 healthy control subjects. Patients with persistently elevated serum aminotransferases and positive HCV RNA were included in the study. Patients with CHC underwent percutaneous liver biopsy. Serum level of L-FABP was determined by ELISA method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with CHC had significantly increased levels of L-FABP compared to controls. A strong correlation between serum L-FABP concentrations and aspartate aminotransferases, alanine aminotransferases, HCV RNA levels and hepatic inflammation was found. When a cut-off value was 29,000 pg/mL for L-FABP, sensitivity and specificity were 75 and 100%, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values for L-FABP were 100 and 78%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum L-FABP is used as a new diagnostic marker to detect liver injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey. drerdemakbal@gmail.com
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akbal
authors.forename: Seyfettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köklü
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koçak
authors.forename: Başak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cakal
authors.forename: Fahri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Güneş
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Başar
authors.forename: Yaşar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tuna
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Senes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase