title: Combined detection of liver stiffness and C-reactive protein in patients with hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis, with and without hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of combined detection of liver stiffness (LS) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver cirrhosis (LC). A total of 156 cases of previously untreated patients with HBV-related LC were classified into the LC group [LC without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)] and the HCC group (LC with HCC). Comparative analyses of LS and serum CRP level were conducted between these two groups. LS values and serum CRP levels were found to be significantly higher in the HCC group compared with those in the LC group (P<0.01). The LS values and serum CRP levels were not significantly different between α-fetoprotein (AFP)-positive and -negative patients. A high LS value was a high-risk factor for HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B. The CRP-positive rate was significantly higher in the HCC group compared with that in LC group in a subset of patients with high LS values (P<0.01). In conclusion, the combined detection of LS and serum CRP may complement the measurement of AFP in the diagnosis of HBV-related HCC, improve the identification of patients with AFP-negative HCC and help distinguish HCC from LC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ting-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Ding
keywords: FibroScan; chronic hepatitis B; hepatocellular carcinoma; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; liver cirrhosis