Correlation of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level with liver function parameters in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected patients in Bangladeshi population

Hepatitis B attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. Elevated ALT, AST and ALP are the parameter of liver function test. Along with this high alpha fetoprotein serum levels have also been found in 60?70% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma; nevertheless, there are other causes that increase this particular protein. A prospective study was performed among 32 healthy control (HBsAg-) and 96 patients (HbsAg+) with their first attack of HBV-related acute hepatitis. In these study AFP, AST, ALT and ALP levels were measured. Among the 29 patients, 9 of them exhibited AFP level in between 10-20(IU/ml), 8 of them exhibited AFP level in between 21-70(IU/ml) and 12 of them exhibited AFP level in between 71-300(IU/ml) with a highest level of 297.90(IU/ml). Beside those 29 patients, other 67 patients of our 96 patient groups have also showed normal AFP level lower than 10(IU/ml). The AFP level of the control group was found normal and it was less than 10(IU/ml).The mean AFP level of patient group is significantly higher ( P< 0.001) compared to the control group and this value is higher than the reference range. The mean AFP level of patient group above 40 years old was significantly higher (P< 0.001) compared to the patient group of less than 40 years old. The Serum AFP level has shown positive correlation with the serum ALT (p=0.01;r=0.9330),AST(p=0.01,r=0.927) and ALP(p=0.01,0.829).