Ann Lab Med.  2018 Jul;38(4):348-354. 10.3343/alm.2018.38.4.348.

Diagnosis of Liver Fibrosis With Wisteria floribunda Agglutinin-Positive Mac-2 Binding Protein (WFA-M2BP) Among Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

• Jekarl DW
• Choi H
• Lee S
• Kwon JH
• Lee SW
• Yu H
• Kim M
• Kim Y
• Sung PS
• Yoon SK

• KMID: 2408074
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2018.38.4.348

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA-M2BP) is a protein with altered glycosylation that reacts with lectin, and was recently identified as a useful non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of WFA-M2BP for liver fibrosis in the context of hepatitis B virus (HBV).
METHODS
We enrolled 151 patients infected with HBV. Liver biopsy and elastography (Fibroscan) were performed during the initial visit. Fibrosis was graded according to the Knodell histologic activity index (F0-3). WFA-M2BP levels were determined with an automated immunoassay analyzer (M2BPGi, HISCL-5000, Sysmex, Japan). The diagnostic efficacy of WFA-M2BP was compared with those of various conventional or composite biomarkers, including enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score, Fibroscan, aspartate transaminase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), and FIB-4, based on the area under the ROC curve (AUC) value.
RESULTS
The majority of patients were at fibrosis stages F1 and F2. The F2 and F3 AUC values for WFA-M2BP were similar to those for FIB-4, APRI, ELF, and Fibroscan, although the latter showed the best diagnostic efficacy. The diagnostic accuracy of all tested biomarkers for F2 and F3 was 60-70%. In multivariate analysis, WFA-M2BP, ELF, and platelet count significantly predicted stage ≥F2, whereas only platelet count significantly predicted F3.
CONCLUSIONS
WFA-M2BP can support a diagnosis of liver fibrosis with similar diagnostic efficacy to other biomarkers, and predicted liver fibrosis stage ≥2 among patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Keyword

Liver Fibrosis; Hepatitis B; Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein; Diagnosis; Efficacy

MeSH Terms

Area Under Curve
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Biomarkers
Biopsy
Carrier Proteins*
Diagnosis*
Elasticity Imaging Techniques
Fibrosis
Glycosylation
Hepacivirus
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis B, Chronic*
Hepatitis, Chronic*
Humans
Immunoassay
Liver Cirrhosis*
Liver*
Multivariate Analysis
Platelet Count
ROC Curve
Wisteria*
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Biomarkers
Carrier Proteins

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