Procollagen III peptide and fibronectin in alcohol-related chronic liver disease: correlations with morphological features and biochemical tests

In order to clarify the significance of procollagen III peptide (PIIIP) and fibronectin (FN) blood concentration in alcohol related chronic liver disease (ALD), we have investigated their relationships with histological liver features and biochemical liver tests in 44 ALD patients. PIIIP was measured in serum by radioimmunoassay whereas FN was determined in plasma using an immunonephelometric method. In each liver biopsy, steatosis, portal infiltrate, lobular necro-inflammation, portal fibrosis and lobular fibrosis were semiquantitatively assessed by scoring from 0 to 3. A close correlation of PIIIP was found with morphological features of fibrosis (both of lobular and portal type), but not with necro-inflammation or steatosis. PIIIP was also positively correlated with ALP and GGT and exhibited a good diagnostic value in liver fibrosis. On the contrary, FN did not distinguish between normals and patients and was not correlated with any morphological liver feature or biochemical liver test. We also conclude that serum NP3P effectively reflects liver fibrosis, whereas plasma FN seems not related to any of the main histological aspects of liver damage in ALD.