PROCOLLAGEN-III PEPTIDE AND CHRONIC VIRAL C-HEPATITIS

Chronic hepatitis develops in at least half of persons acutely infecte d with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Ten to 25% of these patients will deve lop cirrhosis. Serum procollagen-III peptide (PIIIP) may be of value i n predicting the development of chronic active fibrogenic liver diseas e. It has been reported that in chronic viral C hepatitis, the levels of hepatitis C virus-RNA (HCV-RNA) correlate directly with the severit y of hepatic histology and inversely with response to interferon thera py. Objectives: The aims of this study were to correlate the level of PIIIP with HCV-RNA concentrations, ALT values, and histological severi ty in patients with chronic viral C hepatitis. Methods: Eighty-six pat ients with chronic C hepatitis were divided into three groups: group I (n = 34), mild chronic active hepatitis, group II (n = 25), moderate t o severe chronic active hepatitis, and group LU: (n = 27), cirrhosis. HCV-RNA was measured by Quantiplex, and PIIIP was measured by radioimm unoassay-gnostic assay. Results: Mean r SD level of ALT in group I was 114 +/- 48 U/L, group LI was 169 +/- 115 U/L, and group III was 160 /- 94 U/L. The mean +/- SD level of HCV-RNA in group I was 110 +/- 130 x 105 Eq/ml, in group II was 140 +/- 140 x 10(5) Eq/ml, and in group III was 70 +/- 80 x 10(5) Eq/ml. The mean +/- SD level of PIIIP in gro up I was 0.6 +/- 0.2 U/ml, in group II was 0.9 +/- 0.4 U/ml, and in gr oup III was 1.2 +/- 0.6. There was a significant difference in the lev els of PIIIP among the three groups (p = 0.0001). There was no correla tion among ALT, HCV-RNA, and PIIIP in any of the three groups. Conclus ions: PIIIP peptide determinations in patients with chronic viral C he patitis are reflective of histological severity and may provide relati vely noninvasive means of following disease progression.