Relationship between liver fibrosis stage and liver function markers in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Objective To investigate the relationship between liver fibrosis stage and serum HBV DNA level and liver func-tion markers in patients with chronic hepatitis B.Methods Liver biopsy was performed to measure liver inflammation activity and fibrosis degree,and the serum HBV DNA level and liver function markers were detected.Results Liver fibrosis stage was correlat-ed with liver inflammation activity.The degree of liver inflammation was positively correlated with that of liver fibrosis(P=0.000,r s = 0.657).Liver inflammation grade was positively correlated with the serum HBV DNA level(P=0.000,r s =0.602),and so was liver fibrosis stage despite a lower correlation(P=0.000,r s =0.385).Serum albumin and prealbumin levels decreased in the patients with stage 4 fibro-sis(P0.05).Conclusions The degree of liver fibrosis is correlated with liver inflammation activity.The serum HBV DNA level is positively correlated with the degree of liver inflammation and fibrosis.Liver function markers cannot serve as predictors for early stage of liver fibrosis.