Kosin Med J.  2022 Jun;37(2):146-153. 10.7180/kmj.22.110.

A prospective study of the correlation between hepatic fibrosis and noninvasively measured fibrosis markers including serum M2BPGi and acoustic radiation force impulse elastography

• Seo KI
• Hwang H
• Yun BC
• Moon HH
• Choi YI
• Shin DH
• Yoon M

• KMID: 2532045
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7180/kmj.22.110

Abstract

Background
Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) was introduced as a noninvasively measurable serologic marker for liver fibrosis. Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) elastography is another noninvasive method of measuring hepatic fibrosis. There are limited data about the correlations between histologic fibrosis grade and noninvasively measured markers, including M2BPGi and ARFI.
Methods
This prospective study was conducted among patients admitted consecutively for liver resection, cholecystectomy, or liver biopsy. ARFI elastography, serum M2BPGi levels, and the AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) score were evaluated before histologic evaluation. Histologic interpretation was performed by a single pathologist using the METAVIR scoring system.
Results
In patients with high METAVIR scores, M2BPGi levels and ARFI values showed statistically significant differences between patients with fibrosis and those without fibrosis. In 41 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, as METAVIR scores increased, M2BPGi levels also tended to increase (p=0.161). ARFI values changed significantly as METAVIR scores increased (p=0.039). In 33 patients without hepatocellular carcinoma, as METAVIR scores increased, M2BPGi levels significantly increased (p=0.040). ARFI values also changed significantly as METAVIR scores increased (p=0.033). M2BPGi levels were significantly correlated with ARFI values (r=0.604, p<0.001), and APRI values (r=0.704, p<0.001), respectively.
Conclusions
Serum M2BPGi levels increased with liver fibrosis severity and could be a good marker for diagnosing advanced hepatic fibrosis regardless of the cause of liver disease.

Keyword

APRI; ARFI imaging; Liver fibrosis; M2BPGi

Figure

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  Fig. 1. M2BPGi levels and ARFI values correlated with METAVIR scores in all patients. As METAVIR scores increased, there were statistically significant differences in M2BPGi (A) and ARFI (B) values. M2BPGi, Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer; ARFI, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging.

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  Fig. 2. M2BPGi levels and ARFI values correlated with METAVIR scores in hepatocellular carcinoma. (A) As METAVIR scores increased, M2BPGi levels tended to increase, but without statistical significance. (B) ARFI values changed significantly as METAVIR scores increased. M2BPGi, Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer; ARFI, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging.

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  Fig. 3. M2BPGi levels and ARFI values correlated with METAVIR scores in the absence of hepatocellular carcinoma. (A) As METAVIR scores increased, M2BPGi levels significantly increased, as did (B) ARFI values. M2BPGi, Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer; ARFI, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging.

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  Fig. 4. Correlations among noninvasive fibrosis markers. (A) M2BPGi levels showed a significant correlation with ARFI values and (B) with APRI values. M2BPGi, Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer; ARFI, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging; APRI, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index.

Reference

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