International Journal of Microbiology and Immunology Research Vol. 3(3), pp. 036-044, April 2015 ISSN 2327-7769 ©2015 Academe Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Plasma osteopontin as a biomarker test in predicting liver fibrosis in Genotype 4 Chronic Hepatitis C infected patients

Amir Helmy Samy¹, Shereen A. Saleh¹ and Heba Mohamed Abdella²*

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt.

²Department of Tropical Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: hbabdella@yahoo.com.

Accepted 1 March, 2015

Abstract

Management of chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection can be achieved by antiviral therapy based on staging of liver fibrosis. Liver biopsy is considered the reference standard in liver disease assessment, but it is an invasive procedure. Non invasive accurate tests are largely needed. Osteopontin is an important component of Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM) which promotes liver fibrosis. The relation between Osteopontin (OPN) level and hepatic fibrosis in chronic HCV infection has not been widely investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the role of plasma OPN in predicting hepatic fibrosis in chronic HCV infected patients. Forty chronic HCV patients and forty controls were included in this study. METAVIR score was used to stage liver fibrosis. Plasma OPN levels were determined using ELISA. There was a high significant difference between the patient group and controls as regards plasma OPN being 59.25±34.935 ng/ml versus 16.5±6.0914 ng/ml respectively; P<0.001. Regarding Osteopontin value, a high significant difference between insignificant and significant fibrosis was observed (34.5±12.34909 ng/ml vs 84±32.60027 ng/ml, respectively; p<0.001). A cut off value of 22.5 ng/ml was a possible cut off value to discriminate fibrosis from non-fibrosis giving a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 95%. The cut off value of <50 ng/ml was a possible cut off value to discriminate insignificant hepatic fibrosis (F<2) from significant hepatic fibrosis (F≥2) giving 90% sensitivity and specificity. A cut off value of >60 ng/ml was a possible cut off value to discriminate advanced fibrosis (F3) from non advanced fibrosis (F1, F2) giving a sensitivity of 100.0% and a specificity of 47.2%. Plasma OPN can be used as a reliable test to predict fibrotic from non-fibrotic liver, and insignificant hepatic fibrosis from significant hepatic fibrosis.

Key words: Plasma osteopontin, liver fibrosis, chronic hepatitis C genotype 4, non invasive biomarkers.