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Summary Objective To explore the relation between serum sphingolipids and hepatic injury in chronic HBV infection. Methods A cohort of participants including 48 healthy persons, 103 chronic HBV-infected patients containing chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and HBV-related cirrhosis were included. High performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was performed to detect serum sphingolipids. The serological indicators were detected and quantified. The valid liver biopsy specimens were acquired from twenty five CHB. Results Twenty four serum sphingolipids were detected. There were eighteen sphingolipids showing significant differences between the healthy control and chronic HBV infection groups. In patients with chronic HBV infection, fourteen sphingolipids differed significantly between CHB and HBV-related cirrhosis. Among sphingolipids with a significant difference in both HBV infection vs healthy control and CHB vs cirrhosis, seven sphingolipids were independently related to the presence of cirrhosis. SM(d18:1/24:0), a sphingomyelin (SM) compound, was found to have a negative correlation with model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. Additionally, SM(d18:1/24:0) was demonstrated to have a correlation with inflammation grades by liver biopsy in CHB patients. Conclusions Serum sphingolipids have close relation with hepatic injury in chronic HBV infection, especially that SM(d18:1/24:0) might be a potential serum biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Objectives To evaluate the progression of fibrosis and factors influencing this in interferon (IFN) treatment-naive Chinese plasma donors infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) for approximately 20 years. Methods From July 2010 to June 2011, we investigated 122 IFN treatment-naive chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients infected by plasma donation in 1992–1995. Liver fibrosis stage and inflammation grade were evaluated by Metavir and Scheuer scoring systems, respectively. Results One hundred and twenty patients underwent liver biopsy. Liver biopsy was not performed in one patient with cirrhosis due to ascites, and another patient was excluded because of an invalid biopsy specimen. Cirrhosis was observed in three patients (fibrosis stage F4 in two patients revealed by biopsy, and one patient with ascites confirmed by physical and Doppler ultrasound examination). Fibrosis stages F1 and F2 were present in 55 and 50 patients, respectively. The severity of liver inflammation was independently related to moderate to severe fibrosis (F ≥2). Older age and male sex showed an increasing tendency for more severe fibrosis (F3/F4) in the present cohort. Conclusions Based on histopathology results, the progression of fibrosis in patients with CHC infected by repeated plasma donation is slow after HCV infection of approximately 20 years. Liver inflammation is closely related to the development of moderate to severe liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]