Serum levels of aminoterminal type III procollagen peptide in normal subjects and hepatic fibrosis

Liver Fibrosis Markers Represent Central Venous Pressure in Post-pubertal Patients With Congenital Heart Disease

Background Central venous pressure (CVP) is one of the most important hemodynamic parameters in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). In adults, it is well-known that liver fibrosis markers reflect CVP, but this is not well-understood in children. We investigated the liver fibrosis markers in pediatric CHD patients and their ability to predict CVP. Methods We studied 160 patients who underwent cardiac catheterization in our hospital between January 2017 and December 2020. The levels of the fibrotic markers, including type IV collagen 7s, procollagen type III peptide, and hyaluronic acid, were measured. Results Procollagen type III peptide was markedly elevated in infants younger than one year of age. From one to 15 years of age, it was slightly lower than in the infant group, with a peak at around 10 years of age. In the age group of 16 years and older, most of its values were generally high. Type IV collagen 7s and hyaluronic acid levels were high in infants, with no significant differences at later ages. Procollagen type III peptide and hyaluronic acid showed no significant correlation with CVP in any of the age groups, whereas type IV collagen 7s significantly correlated with CVP in the age group above one year old. Conclusions We found that elevated liver fibrosis markers, particularly type IV collagen 7s, correlated with central venous pressure in CHD patients older than one year. Measurement of liver fibrosis markers may allow the early detection of changes in CVP and liver function in patients with CHD.

Serum markers of hepatic fibrogenesis in chronic hepatitis type C treated with alfa-2A interferon

Hepatic fibrogenesis is a dynamic process which characterizes the course of chronic hepatitis. It has stimulated interest in the possible effect of interferon therapy on liver fibrosis. We have evaluated a panel of serum markers of fibrogenesis, namely N-terminal procollagen III peptide (PII-INP), C-terminal procollagen I peptide (PICP), laminin and hyaluronate in 35 patients with chronic hepatitis type C, before, during and after interferon treatment. Before treatment, PIIINP was elevated in 8.5%, 44% and 71% of patients with chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis, respectively, while the corresponding figures for PICP were 0%, 50% and 46%, and for laminin 16.5%, 70% and 71%; hyaluronate was elevated in only five out of seven patients with cirrhosis. Patients with high PIIINP levels at presentation and a persistent response to treatment showed persistent normalization of this parameter, which was not observed in non-responders. In contrast, the other markers showed no significant correlation with interferon response. These results indicate that PIIINP correlates with interferon response in chronic hepatitis type C.