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Abstract

GP73 is a serum protein that increases with liver disease progression in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and has been proposed as a marker for liver status monitoring. Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between GP73 levels, Histological Activity Index (HAI), and fibrosis stages in CHB patients, assessing its potential as a non-invasive biomarker. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over six months (May to October 2024) at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Khairpur Medical College/Civil Hospital Khairpur. A total of 250 CHB patients were enrolled and categorized by fibrosis stages and HAI scores. GP73 concentrations were measured using ELISA. Patients were classified based on fibrosis stage (F0-F4) and HAI scores, determined through liver biopsy, with F0 representing no fibrosis and F4 indicating cirrhosis. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, and correlation analysis. Results: GP73 levels increased progressively with fibrosis stages: 5.3 ng/mL in Group 1, 6.1 ng/mL in Group 2, and 7.5 ng/mL in Group 3 (p=0.001). GP73 also rose with HAI scores, from 5.0 ng/mL in minimal to 8.0 ng/mL in severe activity groups (p=0.05). GP73 showed a moderate correlation with fibrosis stage (r=0.6, p<0.05) and a strong correlation with HAI (r=0.75, p<0.001). Conclusions: GP73 is a promising non-invasive biomarker for evaluating liver fibrosis and necroinflammation in CHB, warranting further validation in larger studies.