中文English
ISSN 1001-5256 (Print)
ISSN 2097-3497 (Online)
CN 22-1108/R
Volume 39 Issue 11
Nov.  2023
Turn off MathJax
Article Contents

Value of serum complement C3 in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis associated with primary biliary cholangitis

DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2023.11.013
Research funding:

‍Tianjin Key Medical Discipline (Specialty) Construction Project (TJYXZDXK-059B);

Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control (2021038)

More Information
  • Corresponding author: LI Ping, tjlplxg@163.com (ORCID: 0000-0001-9930-6429)
  • Received Date: 2023-02-25
  • Accepted Date: 2023-03-14
  • Published Date: 2023-11-28
  •   Objective  To investigate the value of serum complement C3 level in determining the stage of liver fibrosis in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).  Methods  Clinical data were collected from 108 patients with PBC who attended Tianjin Second People’s Hospital and underwent liver biopsy from January 2012 to October 2022. The degree of liver fibrosis (S0-4) was assessed according to the Scheuer scoring system, with ≥S2 defined as significant liver fibrosis, ≥S3 defined as progressive liver fibrosis, and S4 defined as liver cirrhosis. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups; the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the efficacy of complement C3 in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in patients with PBC. The Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between complement C3 and liver fibrosis stage.  Results  Among the 108 patients with PBC, there were 87 (80.6%) female patients and 102 patients (94.4%) with positive autoantibody. As for the stage of liver fibrosis, there were 5 patients (4.6%) in S0 stage, 41 (38.0%) in S1 stage, 23 (21.3%) in S2 stage, 25 (23.1%) in S3 stage, and 14 (13.0%) in S4 stage. There was a significant difference in the level of complement C3 between the patients with different liver fibrosis stages (H=42.891, P<0.001). The level of complement C3 gradually decreased with the aggravation of liver fibrosis, with a negative correlation between them (r=-0.565, P<0.001). Liver stiffness measurement (LSM), aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, and fibrosis-4 were negatively correlated with complement C3, with a correlation coefficient of -0.439 (P<0.001), -0.323 (P=0.001), -0.206 (P=0.033), and -0.291 (P=0.002), respectively. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that complement C3 level was an independent predictive factor for significant liver fibrosis, progressive liver fibrosis, and liver cirrhosis, while LSM was an independent predictive factor for significant liver fibrosis and progressive liver fibrosis. The ROC curve analysis showed that complement C3 had an AUC of 0.731, 0.832, and 0.968, respectively, in the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis, progressive liver fibrosis, and liver cirrhosis, with a corresponding cut-off value of 1.445, 1.235, and 1.005, respectively, and complement C3 combined with LSM had an AUC of 0.811, 0.941, and 0.976, respectively, in the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis, progressive liver fibrosis, and liver cirrhosis. There was a significant difference in AUC between complement C3 combined with LSM and complement C3 alone in the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis (Z=2.604, P=0.009), and there was also a significant difference in AUC between complement C3 combined with LSM and complement C3 alone in the diagnosis of progressive liver fibrosis (Z=3.033, P=0.002); there was no significant difference in AUC between complement C3 combined with LSM and complement C3 alone in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis (Z=1.050, P=0.294), while There was a significant difference in AUC between complement C3 combined with LSM and LSM alone in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis (Z=2.326, P=0.020).  Conclusion  Serum complement C3 level has a certain clinical value in assessing the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with PBC, and complement C3 combined with LSM can further improve the efficacy of complement C3 or LSM in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in PBC.

     

  • loading
  • [1]
    COLAPIETRO F, BERTAZZONI A, LLEO A. Contemporary epidemiology of primary biliary cholangitis[J]. Clin Liver Dis, 2022, 26( 4): 555- 570. DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2022.06.001.
    [2]
    Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Chinese Society of Infectious Diseases. Consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis(also known as primary biliary cholangitis)(2015)[J]. J Clin Hepatol, 2015, 31( 12): 1980- 1988. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2015.12.004.

    中华医学会肝病学分会, 中华医学会消化病学分会, 中华医学会感染病学分会. 原发性胆汁性肝硬化(又名原发性胆汁性胆管炎)诊断和治疗共识(2015)[J]. 临床肝胆病杂志, 2015, 31( 12): 1980- 1988. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2015.12.004.
    [3]
    Chinese Medical Association, Branch Hepatology. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of primary biliary cholangitis(2021)[J]. J Clin Hepatol, 2022, 38( 1): 35- 41. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2022.01.007.

    中华医学会肝病学分会. 原发性胆汁性胆管炎的诊断和治疗指南(2021)[J]. 临床肝胆病杂志, 2022, 38( 1): 35- 41. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2022.01.007.
    [4]
    Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Chinese Society of Infectious Diseases. Consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of liver fibrosis(2019)[J]. J Clin Hepatol, 2019, 35( 10): 2163- 2172. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2019.10.007.

    中华医学会肝病学分会, 中华医学会消化病学分会, 中华医学会感染病学分会. 肝纤维化诊断及治疗共识(2019年)[J]. 临床肝胆病杂志, 2019, 35( 10): 2163- 2172. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2019.10.007.
    [5]
    TRIVEDI PJ, HIRSCHFIELD GM. Recent advances in clinical practice: Epidemiology of autoimmune liver diseases[J]. Gut, 2021, 70( 10): 1989- 2003. DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-322362.
    [6]
    HOHENESTER S, OUDE-ELFERINK RPJ, BEUERS U. Primary biliary cirrhosis[J]. Semin Immunopathol, 2009, 31( 3): 283- 307. DOI: 10.1007/s00281-009-0164-5.
    [7]
    YANG YL, ZHAO RC, ZHANG FC. Potential mesenchymal stem cell therapeutics for treating primary biliary cholangitis: Advances, challenges, and perspectives[J]. Front Cell Dev Biol, 2022, 10: 933565. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.933565.
    [8]
    BUGDACI MS, ALKIM C, KARACA C, et al. Could complement C4 be an alternative to biopsy for chronic hepatitis B histopathologic findings?[J]. J Clin Gastroenterol, 2011, 45( 5): 449- 455. DOI: 10.1097/MCG.0b013e31820f7ee5.
    [9]
    LI Q, LU Q, ZHU MQ, et al. Lower level of complement component C3 and C3a in the plasma means poor outcome in the patients with hepatitis B virus related acute-on-chronic liver failure[J]. BMC Gastroenterol, 2020, 20( 1): 106. DOI: 10.1186/s12876-020-01258-3.
    [10]
    CHEN C, YUAN Z, LI WX, et al. Complement C3 facilitates stratification of stages of chronic hepatitis B and signifies development of acute-on-chronic liver failure in acute decompensated cirrhosis[J]. Adv Ther, 2023, 40( 3): 1171- 1186. DOI: 10.1007/s12325-022-02416-7.
    [11]
    RICKLIN D, HAJISHENGALLIS G, YANG K, et al. Complement: A key system for immune surveillance and homeostasis[J]. Nat Immunol, 2010, 11( 9): 785- 797. DOI: 10.1038/ni.1923.
    [12]
    TROUW LA, DAHA MR. Role of complement in innate immunity and host defense[J]. Immunol Lett, 2011, 138( 1): 35- 37. DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2011.02.014.
    [13]
    SAHU A, LAMBRIS JD. Structure and biology of complement protein C3, a connecting link between innate and acquired immunity[J]. Immunol Rev, 2001, 180: 35- 48. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-065x.2001.1800103.x.
    [14]
    LUBBERS R, van ESSEN MF, van KOOTEN C, et al. Production of complement components by cells of the immune system[J]. Clin Exp Immunol, 2017, 188( 2): 183- 194. DOI: 10.1111/cei.12952.
    [15]
    SELMI C, BOWLUS CL, GERSHWIN ME, et al. Primary biliary cirrhosis[J]. Lancet, 2011, 377( 9777): 1600- 1609. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61965-4.
    [16]
    SCHLESINGER M, BENBASSAT C, SHOENFELD Y. Complement profile in primary biliary cirrhosis[J]. Immunol Res, 1992, 11( 2): 98- 103. DOI: 10.1007/BF02918614.
    [17]
    BARAK V, SELMI C, SCHLESINGER M, et al. Serum inflammatory cytokines, complement components, and soluble interleukin 2 receptor in primary biliary cirrhosis[J]. J Autoimmun, 2009, 33( 3-4): 178- 182. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2009.09.010.
    [18]
    BIEWENGA M, FARINA SARASQUETA A, TUSHUIZEN ME, et al. The role of complement activation in autoimmune liver disease[J]. Autoimmun Rev, 2020, 19( 6): 102534. DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2020.102534.
    [19]
    HOMANN C, VARMING K, HØGÅSEN K, et al. Acquired C3 deficiency in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis predisposes to infection and increased mortality[J]. Gut, 1997, 40( 4): 544- 549. DOI: 10.1136/gut.40.4.544.
    [20]
    GARRED P, LYON H, CHRISTOFFERSEN P, et al. Deposition of C3, the terminal complement complex and vitronectin in primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis[J]. Liver, 1993, 13( 6): 305- 310. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0676.1993.tb00650.x.
    [21]
    YUAN H, LI YW, LI J, et al. Clinical feature of patients with primary biliary cholangitis and primary biliary cirrhosis[J]. J Pract Hepatol, 2022, 25( 3): 403- 406. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2022.03.025.

    袁慧, 李毓雯, 李军, 等. 原发性胆汁性胆管炎与肝硬化患者临床指标差异分析[J]. 实用肝脏病杂志, 2022, 25( 3): 403- 406. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2022.03.025.
  • 加载中

Catalog

    通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
    • 1. 

      沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

    1. 本站搜索
    2. 百度学术搜索
    3. 万方数据库搜索
    4. CNKI搜索

    Figures(2)  / Tables(6)

    Article Metrics

    Article views (227) PDF downloads(26) Cited by()
    Proportional views
    Related

    /

    DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
    Return
    Return