Objective: To explore the value of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) for the diagnosis of patients with chronic liver diseases such as chronic viral hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and analyze the correlation between serum CHI3L1 level and Child–Pugh grading of chronic liver diseases.
Methods: The serum CHI3L1 levels of 154 cases of chronic viral hepatitis B, 132 cases of liver cirrhosis and 88 cases of HCC were detected by ELISA, and 92 healthy subjects were taken as the control.
Results: The –serum CHI3L1 levels in HCC group, liver cirrhosis group and chronic viral hepatitis B group were higher than in healthy control group (P < 0.001). Serum CHI3L1 level showed a trend of increase in patients with chronic hepatitis to liver cirrhosis and to HCC. The diagnostic efficacy of serum CHI3L1 level on liver cirrhosis showed the sensitivity of 64.4% and the specificity of 96.7%. The diagnostic efficacy of serum CHI3L1 level on HCC showed the sensitivity of 86.8% and the specificity of 97.8%. Serum CHI3L1 level was higher in Child–Pugh grade B and C patients than in Child–Pugh grade A patients, and was positively correlated with Child–Pugh grading of liver function (rs = 0.301, P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Serum CHI3L1 level increased in chronic liver diseases and showed an increase trend with the progression of liver diseases. Serum CHI3L1 could be a biomarker for the auxiliary diagnosis of chronic liver diseases.
Keywords: chitinase-3-like protein 1, chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, Child–Pugh grading