PROGRESSION OF SERUM MARKERS IN CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE PRODUCED BY CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS B, C AND CO-INFECTION

Abstract

Background: Chronic liver disease represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The objectives of the study were to determine and compare values of serum markers in subgroups; category-wise (MCTP scoring system) as well as infection-wise among patients of HBV, HBC and co-infections.
Material & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore in 2010. Sample size was patients of chronic HBV, HCV, and co-infections. The patients were grouped with 25 subjects each in HB, HC and co-infection. Non-probability-convenience sampling was used for data collection. Demographic variables were sex and age in years. Research variables were AST/ALT ratio, prothrombin time, platelet conunt, serum albumin and serum bilirubin. Continuous variables like biochemical markers were analyzed as mean ±standard deviation (±SD) whereas categorical variables were analyzed as count and percentages using SPSS version 20.0. One-way ANOVA was applied to observe group mean differences.
Results: Out of the 75 subjects, 51(68.0%) were males and 24(32.0%) were females. The mean ±SD age was 44.69 ±7.423 years. There was a significant difference in AST/ALT ratio in chronic HBV group only (p <0.05). Platelet count significantly decreased in co-infection group only from (MCTP) class A-D (p<0.05). PT and serum bilirubin significantly increased, while serum albumin significantly decreased in all groups from MCTP class A-D (p<0.05). In class wise comparison amongst all groups, none of the biochemical markers was statistically different (p>0.05).
Conclusion: There was statistically significant differences of the values of serum markers among subgroups category-wise A-D (MCTP classes) of chronic liver disease produced by chronic HBV, HCV, and co-infection. There was no statistically significant difference of these values between subgroups infection-wise.