A comparative study of C-reactive protein serum values in chronic hepatitis Band C and correlation with the progression of the disease

Abstract number: 1135_255

Karabassi V., Pouyiouka M., Milonas C., Petrochilou C., Alexandropoulos N., Kontou-Castellanou C.

Objectives:  

Our study was conducted to control hospitalized patients for chronic hepatitis infection B and C and to estimate the clinical significance of C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels, the relationship between CRP and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations in serum and the correlation of CRP with the hepatic inflammation and damage in these patients.

Methods:  

During a ten month interval 100 hospitalized patients were found with chronic viral hepatitis. There were two groups of patients, Group A: 70 patients with chronic hepatitis B and Group B: 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Serum samples from them were examined for the determination of CRP and ALT levels. The detection of surface antigen HBsAg and HCV-antibodies was performed by MEIA methodology (AXSYM-ABBOTT) and the diagnosis proved by liver's biopsy. The CRP values were determined using the nephelometric method (Dade-Behring) taking as normal values 0–5 mg/lt and ALT values were determined by IFCC method (Technicon RA 1000 Medicon) taking as normal values 5–40 U/L.

Results:  

In Group A of the 70 patients, 24 (34.3%) had pathological CRP levels that ranged from 15 to 174 mg/lt, 23(32.8%) had high ALT levels that ranged from 58 to 6110 U/L and in 18 of them (79.7%) were found high CRP concentrations fluctuated simultaneously with ALT serum levels and ranged from 35 to 174 mg/lt.In Group B of the 30 patients, 6 (20%) had high CRP levels that ranged from 13 to 83 mg/lt, 7 (23.3%) had high ALT levels that ranged from 56 to 89 U/L and in all of them (7/7) the CRP concentrations were normal.

Conclusion:  

This study showed a significant association between elevated CRP and ALT serum levels in chronic hepatitis B. In contrast no correlation was observed in chronic hepatitis C. In conclusion the combination of CRP and ALT values could be a useful marker for the progression of the disease in chronic hepatitis B but not in chronic hepatits C.