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Serum hyaluronic acid concentrations in children with cirrhosis

Inci Nur Saltik-Temizel1, Nurten Koçak, Hasan Ozen

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Hacettepe University, 06100 Ankara, Turkey. isaltik@hacettepe.edu.tr

Indian Journal of Gastroenterology : Official Journal of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology
|August 31, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Serum hyaluronic acid (HA) levels are often elevated in children with cirrhosis, potentially serving as a diagnostic marker. This study found higher HA concentrations in cirrhotic children compared to controls.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Hepatology
  • Biomarker Research

Background:

  • Liver disease, including cirrhosis, is frequently linked to elevated serum hyaluronic acid (HA) levels.
  • Hyaluronic acid is a component of the extracellular matrix, and its serum concentration can reflect liver fibrogenesis and damage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate serum hyaluronic acid (HA) concentrations in pediatric patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.
  • To explore the correlation between serum HA levels and established liver function tests and the Child-Pugh score in children with cirrhosis.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 22 children with biopsy-proven liver cirrhosis was evaluated.
  • Serum HA levels were quantified using microELISA and compared to 22 children with chronic hepatitis B (control group).
  • Patients were assessed for clinical signs of liver decompensation and categorized using the Child-Pugh scoring system.

Main Results:

  • Children with cirrhosis exhibited higher mean serum HA levels (85.2 ng/mL) compared to controls (4.8 ng/mL; p<0.05).
  • Elevated HA levels (>100 ng/mL) were observed in 36.4% of cirrhotic patients, with a trend towards higher prevalence in more advanced Child-Pugh classes.
  • Serum HA levels showed a positive correlation with direct bilirubin levels.

Conclusions:

  • Serum hyaluronic acid (HA) shows potential as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for identifying liver cirrhosis in pediatric populations.
  • Further research may validate HA as a valuable tool in the management and diagnosis of pediatric liver disease.
Abstract

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