ABSTRACT
Background: CLD is considered a major cause of mortality throughout the world including south Asia. The clinical examination is often unreliable in assessing the severity of disease. Liver biopsy [LB] is the gold standard for assessing CLD but it is invasive, painful and has complications and technical problems. Hyaluronic acid [HA], an ideal marker of fibrosi, it has a high degree of sensitivity and specificity and is a simple laboratory test detecting fibrosis in CLD patients
Objectives: To compare the strength of SHA and liver biopsy
Methods: This study was conducted in the department of Biochemistry BMSI/JPMC Karachi. Total 120 subjects were taken and divided into control group and case group. In histopathology grades and stages were scored according Batts and Ludwig criteria. SHA was measured in serum by ELISA
Results: The mean SHA in case group [119.39ng/ml] was significantly higher compared to the control group [53.60ng/ml].The SHA levels 75ng/ml, 103ng/ml and 130ng/ml were determined in grades I, II and Ill respectively and in stages I, II, Ill and IV were 87ng/ml, 101 ng/ml, 124ng/ml and 172ng/ml respectively. There was positive linear correlation between SHA and histological grades and stages
Conclusion: SHA is a definite diagnostic tool and can be used routinely in the diagnosis of CLD