Alterations of serum HA, PIIIP and CIV in patients with liver cirrhosis treated with PGE1

AIM To study the clinical significance of alterations of serum hyaluronic acid, type Ⅲ procollagen and type Ⅳ collagen in patients with liver cirrhosis pre or post PGE1 treatment. METHODS Serum hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen Ⅲ peptide (PⅢP) and collagen Ⅳ (CⅣ) were measured with radioimmunoassay in 70 patients with liver cirrhosis and 30 normal persons. The patients with hepatic cirrhosis were randomly divided into two groups. The control group ( n =30) were given comprehensive treatment for 4 weeks and the experimental group ( n =40) received extra prostagland in E1 (PGE1). The concentration of HA, PⅢP, CⅣ in Child class A was less than that of class B, which was less than that of class C, before the treatment (ABC). The concentrations of PⅢP, HA, CⅣ of the two groups were measured again four weeks later. RESULTS The concentrations of HA, PⅢP, CⅣ were significantly higher in liver cirrhosis (982±658,248±46,168±41) than in that in normal liver (253±10,93±18,81±31; P 0 01). The concentrations of HA,PⅢP,CⅣ after treatment in experimental group class A (269±151,96±20,86±10 and in class B 419±326,150±36,111±31) were markedly reduced, compared with that before the treatment (in class A 429±326,166±12,126±21, in class B 686±419,267±21,169±30, P 0 01). In class C these parameters did not show any reduction after treatment ( P 0 05). The concentrations of HA, PⅢP, CⅣ in control group were decreased in class A (339±220,123±20,102±20 and in class B 551±390,200±11,153±31) after the treatment (before treatment in class A 432±325,165±12,128±22, in class B 690±421,271±23,170±32). The difference was significant. ( P 0 05). In class C these parameters showed no reduction after the treatment ( P 0 05). CONCLUSION PGE1 could reduce the concentrations of HA, PⅢP, CⅣ in slight hepatic dysfunction patients with liver cirrhosis.