Clinical utility of serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 concentrations in the assessment of liver fibrosis due to chronic hepatitis B.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationships between serum concentrations of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and severity of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B.
METHODS: A total of 101 patients with hepatitis B and 54 healthy control subjects were consecutively enrolled. Serum MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS: Serum MMP-2 concentrations in patients with stage F2 - F4 fibrosis were significantly higher than in patients with stage F0 - F1 fibrosis and control subjects, but no significant difference was found between patients with stage F0 - F1 fibrosis and control subjects. Significant differences in serum TIMP-2 concentrations were found between patients with stages F2 - F4 and F0 - F1 fibrosis, and between stages F0 - F1 fibrosis and healthy control subjects. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of serum TIMP-2 and MMP-2 for predicting clinically significant fibrosis (stage F2 - F4) were 0.899 and 0.770, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Serum TIMP-2 and MMP-2 assessment may represent a valuable noninvasive diagnostic test for liver fibrosis in hepatitis B.