The Relationship Between Liver Fibrosis and Golgi Protein 73 in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

Aim: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the degree of liver fibrosis and serum Golgi protein 73 (sGP73) concentration in patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Materials and Methods: A total of 124 (78 HBV-positive, 40 healthy) individuals were included in the study. The participants were classified as negative healthy individuals (Group 1); HBV surface antigen-positive, HBV DNA <2000 IU/mL, chronic HBV-infected patients without liver biopsy (Group 2); and individuals with HBV DNA >= 2000 IU/mL and liver biopsy (Group 3). Group 3 was divided into subgroups as those with fibrosis lower than stage 2 (F1) and those with fibrosis of stage 2 or higher (F2). When regrouped according to the hepatic activity index (HAI), Group 1 and 2 remained the same, while Group 3 was divided into patients with an HAI below 6 (A1) and those with HAI of 6 or higher (A2). Results: sGP73 concentrations were 11.40 +/- 7.05 ng/mL in Group 1, 16.78 +/- 6.01 ng/mL in Group 2, 43.23 +/- 10.99 ng/mL in subgroup F1, and 48.75 +/- 10.93 ng/mL in subgroup F2. These values were significantly higher in F1 and F2 compared to Groups 1 and 2 (p<0.05), with no statistical difference between F1 and F2. When the mean sGP73 concentrations of Group 1, Group 2, subgroup A1 (43.42 +/- 11.15 ng/mL), and subgroup A2 (46.74 +/- 11.11 ng/mL) were compared, there was no significant difference between A2 and A1 (p>0.05), while the differences between the other groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: A relationship was observed between sGP73 and liver damage in patients with HBV. Although sGP73 concentration was associated with the presence of fibrosis, the relationship between sGP73 and degree of fibrosis was weakly positive and non-significant.

Journal

NAMIK KEMAL MEDICAL JOURNAL

Year

2025

Volume

13

Issue

2

Pages

93-99

eISSN

2587-0262

DOI

10.4274/nkmj.galenos.2025.92499

WoS UID

WOS:001532232600001