title: The importance of serum biglycan levels as a fibrosis marker in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver biopsy is recommended in the majority of patients with chronic viral hepatitis for fibrosis evaluation. Because of the potential risks of liver biopsy, many studies related to non-invasive biomarkers of hepatic fibrosis have been performed. We aimed to assess the diagnostic value of serum biglycan as a non-invasive fibrosis marker in chronic hepatitis B patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 120 patients with biopsy-proven hepatitis B patients and 60 healthy controls. Fibrosis stage and necroinflammatory activity were assessed in liver biopsy specimens. Biglycan level was measured using an ELISA assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum biglycan levels of chronic hepatitis B patients were found to be significantly higher than those of healthy controls (337.3±363.0 pg/mL vs 189.1±61.9 pg/mL, respectively, P<.001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between serum biglycan level and fibrosis stage (P=.004; r=.213). Besides, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between serum biglycan level and necroinflammatory activity (P<.001; r=.271). The AUROC of BGN levels was 0.702 for fibrosis stage, differentiating patients from healthy controls with statistical significance (P<.001). The AUROC of BGN levels was 0.632 for necroinflammatory activity score, differentiating patients from healthy controls with statistical significance (P=.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum biglycan might be used as a non-invasive marker of liver fibrosis. Further studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of this marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Rafiye
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ciftciler
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozenirler
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aysegul Atak
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Yucel
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cengiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulbanu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erkan
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buyukdemirci
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Specialist, Vaccine preventable Bacterial Diseases Research Laboratory, Public Health Institution of Turkey, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cemile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sönmez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Guldal Yılmaz
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Esendaglı
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D058578:Biglycan / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve
chemical_list: D058578:Biglycan; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: biglycan; chronic hepatitis B; liver biopsy; liver fibrosis; non-invasive marker