Aim: We aimed to examine the relationship between serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA(+) -M2BP) levels and serum interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) levels and liver histological findings for patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) compared with other laboratory fibrotic or inflammatory parameters.
Methods: A total of 57 PBC patients were analyzed. Receiver-operator curve (ROC) analysis was performed for calculating the area under the ROC (AUROC) for WFA(+) -M2BP, IP-10 and four serum fibrosis markers for the presence of liver cirrhosis (F4) or advanced fibrosis (F3 or F4). Similarly, ROC analysis of WFA(+) -M2BP, IP-10, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase for the presence of severe inflammation activity (A3) was performed.
Results: There were eight men and 49 women (median age, 59 years). As for histological findings, F4 was observed in five patients, F3 in 11, F2 in 17, F1 in 24 and F0 in zero, whereas A3 was observed in seven patients, A2 in 27, A1 in 19 and A0 in four. The WFA(+) -M2BP levels ranged from 0.5 cut-off index (COI) to 13.6 COI (median, 1.8), while serum IP-10 levels ranged 121.9-1835.9 pg/mL (median, 571.5). For predicting liver cirrhosis, WFA(+) -M2BP yielded the highest AUROC (0.97, P < 0.01). For predicting severe liver inflammation activity (A3), WFA(+) -M2BP and serum IP-10 yielded the highest AUROC with a level of 0.87. WFA(+) -M2BP levels significantly correlated with serum IP-10 levels (rs = 0.55, P < 0.0001).
Conclusion: Serum WFA(+) -M2BP and serum IP-10 can be useful markers for predicting histological findings in PBC patients.
Keywords: Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive Mac-2-binding protein; inflammation activity; interferon-γ-inducible protein-10; liver fibrosis; primary biliary cirrhosis.
© 2015 The Japan Society of Hepatology.