Clinical significance of procollagen type III N-terminal peptide in patients with alcoholic liver disease

Background. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) – is a disease that leads to the development of liver cirrhosis (LC) with a high mortality rate. N-terminal type lll procollagen peptide (PIIINP) is one of the optimal biomarkers for assessing fibrogenesis.

Objective: to determine the clinical significance of PIIINP blood level in patients with ALD.

Materials and methods. 97 patients with ALD were examined. The age of the patients was 48,5±9,9 years, there were 30 women, 67 men. Steatosis was diagnosed in 12 patients, 11 – alcoholic hepatitis (AH), 74 – LC. In group with LC, 16 patients was diagnosed AH against confirmed cirrhosis. PIIINP blood level determined by ELISA. Control group consisted of 22 healthy volunteers who have not consumed alcohol in hepatotoxic doses.

Results. In all patients, PIIINP blood level was increased. In steatosis PIIINP slightly increased the norm, indicating the beginning of fibrogenesis. In LC, PIIINP blood level was higher than in patients with steatosis, which reflected increasing of fibrosis and progression of the disease. The highest levels of PIIINP were observed in cases with AH. Levels PIIINP in patients with AH but without LC and in patients with AH against the background of the formed LC did not differ. In Maddray index of more than 32 (9 patients), the PIIINP level was higher than in 18 patients with index values <32, which confirmed the role of AH in development of fibrosis and decompensation of liver function.

Conclusion. Determination of PIIINP blood level in patients with ALD will allow predict the activity of fibrogenesis and the severity of subsequent changes in liver tissue. In cases of severe AH, PIIINP may be an additional criterion determining the severity and prognosis of hepatitis outcomes.

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