Determining the Role of Serum Hyluronic Acid Levels to Degree of Fibrosis in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Objective: In this study we aimed to investigate the value of hyaluronic acid levels, a non-invasive biochemical marker for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis. Material and Methods: The study comprised 80 patients in Ataturk University Infectious Disease Clinic (48 with chronic hepatitis B and 32 with chronic hepatitis C) between 2008-2009. Patients were grouped into two for statistical analysis according to their liver fibrosis stage. Mild for no fibrosis (Stage 0,1,2) was accepted as group 1, severe fibrosis (stage3,4) was evaluated as group 2 For determining serum hyaluronic asit levels concomitantly to liver biopsy blood was taken, centrifuged, serums were separated. These serums were kept in suitable conditions until they were studied with ELISA method. Serum hyaluronic acid was compared between two groups. For evaluating results, comparing binary numerical variables student-t test, for multiple comparisons one way anova test were used. Results: In our study serum hyaluronic acid levels were significantly increasing in patients with increasıng fıbrosıs (p=0,003). When comparing HA between chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C; there is no statistical significance. However HA level were directly proportional to liver fibrosis. Conclusions: There is significant correlation between serums HA levels and severity of liver fibrosis. For thıs reason in determination of severe fibrosis which is a transition time to cirrhosis and cirrhosis itself, HA levels seem to be a useful marker.