title: Serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive human Mac-2 binding protein may predict liver fibrosis and progression to hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum glycosylated Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) is a reliable, non-invasive marker of liver fibrosis. This study assessed the ability of WFA+-M2BP to diagnose liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and evaluated WFA+-M2BP as a predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum WFA+-M2BP values were retrospectively evaluated in 112 treatment-naïve patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis who had undergone liver biopsy at our hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum WFA+-M2BP levels were significantly related with liver fibrosis (r = 0.3725, P = 0.001). Fibrosis stage F2, F3, and F4 had a cut-off index of 0.94, 1.26, and 1.26, respectively. For diagnosing F ≥ 2 fibrosis, the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for WFA+-M2BP was 0.713 and comparable with those of other non-invasive fibrosis markers, such as hyaluronic acid, type IV collagen 7S, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, fibrosis-4 index, serum albumin, and platelet count. Multivariate analysis identified male, WFA+-M2BP ≥0.71, alanine aminotransferase ≥80 IU/L, and platelet count <14.5 × 109/L as independent risk factors for the development of HCC in patients with HBV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum WFA+-M2BP values appear to be useful for assessing liver fibrosis stage and are independently associated with HCC development in patients with chronic HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joshita
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umemura
authors.affiliation: Division of International Health (Public Health), Niigata University Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Yugo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shobugawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Usami
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujimori
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tanaka
keywords: Serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive human Mac-2 binding protein; hepatitis B virus; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver fibrosis