The Diagnostic Value of Serum Hyaluronic Acid, 7S Domain of Type IV Collagen and AST/ALT Ratio as Markers of Hepatic Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B and Cirrhosis Patients

Korean J Hepatol > Volume 9(2); 2003 > Article

The Korean Journal of Hepatology 2003;9(2): 79-88.

The Diagnostic Value of Serum Hyaluronic Acid, 7S Domain of Type IV Collagen and AST/ALT Ratio as Markers of Hepatic Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B and Cirrhosis Patients

Jin Hyung Park, M.D., Chang Kun Park, M.D., Eun Soo Kim, M.D., Soo Young Park, M.D., Chang Min Jo, M.D., Won Young Tak, M.D., Young Oh Kweon, M.D., Sung Kook Kim, M.D. and Yong Whan Choi, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University, College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea

ABSTRACT

Background/Aims
The prognosis of chronic liver disease is closely related to the development of hepatic fibrosis. Liver biopsy is the gold standard method to assess inflammatory activity and fibrosis stage, but this is associated with morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum hyaluronic acid, 7S domain of type IV collagen and AST/ALT ratio as markers of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis. Methods: This study included 100 patients with chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis. Liver biopsy and histopathologic classification were done. Serum hyaluronic acid and 7S domain of type IV collagen were measured by one step sandwich binding protein assay and radioimmunoassay using polyclonal antibody to 7S domain of type IV collagen, respectively. Results: The serum concentrations of hyaluronic acid, 7S domain of type IV collagen and AST/ALT ratio in the cirrhosis group (139±98.4 ng/mL, 6.9±3.5 ng/mL, 1.6±1.5) were significantly higher (p<0.01) than those in the normal and fatty liver group (20.2±12.5 ng/mL, 3.5±0.5 ng/mL, 0.7±0.3), mild hepatitis group (32.3±52.7 ng/mL, 3.9±1.4 ng/mL, 0.7±0.4), and moderate to severe hepatitis group (68.2±72.3 ng/mL, 5.3±2.4 ng/mL, 0.8 type IV collagen and 0.62 for AST/ALT ratio, the sensitivities were 81.8%, 63.6%, 90.9% and specificities were 87.3%, 88.6%, 53.1% for discriminating cirrhosis (fibrosis score: 4) from the mild to severe fibrosis (fibrosis score: 0-3). Conclusions: Serum hyaluronic acid, 7S domain of type IV collagen and AST/ALT ratio measurement may be clinically useful as markers of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis.(Korean J Hepatol 2003;9:79-88)

KeyWords: AST/ALT ratio, Hepatic fibrosis, Hyaluronic acid, 7S domain, Type IV collagen