Clinical Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 15, 2003; 9(12): 2796-2800
Published online Dec 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i12.2796
Relationship between clinical and pathologic findings in patients with chronic liver diseases
Lun-Gen Lu, Min-De Zeng, Yi-Min Mao, Ji-Qiang Li, De-Kai Qiu, Jing-Yuan Fang, Ai-Ping Cao, Mo-Bin Wan, Cheng-Zhong Li, Jun Ye, Xiong Cai, Cheng-Wei Chen, Ji-Yao Wang, Shan-Ming Wu, Jin-Shui Zhu, Xia-Qiu Zhou
Lun-Gen Lu, Min-De Zeng, Yi-Min Mao, Ji-Qiang Li, De-Kai Qiu, Jing-Yuan Fang, Ai-Ping Cao, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China
Mo-Bin Wan, Cheng-Zhong Li, Department of Infectious Diseases, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai 200433, China
Jun Ye, Department of Infectious Diseases, Putuo District Central Hospital, Shanghai 200062, China
Xiong Cai, Department of Infectious Diseases, Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai 200003, China
Cheng-Wei Chen, Shanghai Liver Diseases Research Center of Nanjing Military Command, Shanghai 200233, China
Ji-Yao Wang, Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai 200032, China
Shan-Ming Wu, Shanghai Infectious Disease Hospital, Shanghai 200085, China
Jin-Shui Zhu, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai No.6 People’s Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China
Xia-Qiu Zhou, Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai 200025, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by grants from the Key Project of Shanghai Medical Development Foundation, No.99ZDI001
Correspondence to: Dr. Lun-Gen Lu, MD, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China. lulungen@online.sh.cn
Telephone: +86-21-33070824 Fax: +86-21-63364118
Received: March 28, 2003
Revised: April 2, 2003
Accepted: May 11, 2003
Published online: December 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: To explore the relationship between clinical findings of patients with chronic liver diseases and the pathologic grading and staging of liver tissues.

METHODS: The inflammatory activity and fibrosis of consecutive liver biopsies from 200 patients were determined according to the diagnosis criteria of chronic hepatitis in China established in 1995. A comparative analysis was carried out for 200 patients with chronic liver diseases by comparing their clinical manifestations, serum biochemical markers with the grading and staging of liver tissues.

RESULTS: It was revealed that age, index of clinical symptoms and physical signs were obviously relevant to the pathologic grading and staging of liver tissues (P < 0.05). Blood platelet, red blood cells, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), N-terminal procollagen III (PIII NP) were apparently correlated with the degree of inflammation. PGA (prothrombin time, GGT, apoprotein A1) index, PGAA (PGA + △2-macroglobublin) index, albumin and albumin/globulin were relevant to both inflammation and fibrosis. Hyaluronic acid (HA) was an accurate variable for the severity of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. The combination of serum markers for fibrosis could increase the diagnostic accuracy. It was notable that viral replication markers were not relevant to the degree of inflammation and fibrosis.

CONCLUSION: There is a good correlation between clinical findings and the pathologic grading and staging of liver tissues, which may give aid to the noninvasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis.

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