Procollagen-III peptide and chronic viral C hepatitis

Chronic hepatitis develops in at least half of persons acutely infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Ten to 25 % of these patients will develop cirrhosis. Serum procollagen-III peptide (PIIIP) may be of value in predicting the development of chronic active fibrogenic liver disease. It has been reported that in chronic viral C hepatitis, the levels of hepatitis C virus-RNA (HCV-RNA) correlate directly with the severity of hepatic histology and inversely with response to interferon therapy. Objectives: The aims of this study were to correlate the level of PIIIP with HCV-RNA concentrations, ALT values, and histological severity in patients with chronic viral C hepatitis. Methods: Eighty-six patients with chronic C hepatitis were divided into three groups: group I (n = 34), mild chronic active hepatitis, group II (n = 25), moderate to severe chronic active hepatitis, and group III (n = 27), cirrhosis. HCV-RNA was measured by Quantiplex, and PIIIP was measured by radioimmunoassay-gnostic assay. Results: Mean ± SD level of ALT in group I was 114 ± 48 U/L, group II 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 10⁵ Eq/ml, and in group III was 70 ± 80 x 105 Eq/ml. The mean ± SD level of PIIIP in group I was 0.6 ± 0.2 U/ml, in group II was 0.9 ± 0.4 U/ml, and in group III was 1.2 ± 0.6. There was a significant difference in the levels of PIIIP among the three groups (p = 0.0001). There was no correlation among ALT, HCV-RNA, and PIIIP in any of the three groups. Conclusions: PIIIP peptide determinations in patients with chronic viral C hepatitis are reflective of histological severity and may provide relatively noninvasive means of following disease progression.