Evaluation of inflammatory and liver injury biomarkers among drug-naive viral hepatitis B patients: A study in a referral laboratory, Ghana

 Seth A. Domfeh, MPhil^1,2*, Samuel A. Sakyi, PhD², Enoch O. Anto, PhD³, Patrick W. Narkwa, PhD⁴, Mohamed Mutocheluh, PhD⁴ and Margaret T. Frempong, PhD²

 

¹Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

²Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

³Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

⁴Department of Clinical Microbiology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

Running Title: Inflammatory and liver injury biomarkers among HBV patients

*Corresponding author: sadomfeh@gmail.com or domfeh.sethagyei@knust.edu.gh

DOI: 10.21608/ajgh.2023.183024.1025.

Date of submission: 24 - December - 2022.

Revised: 25 - January - 2023.

Accepted: 25 - January - 2023.

First online: 26 - January - 2023.

Abstract

Background and Aim: Globally, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is among the commonest chronic infections and the leading cause of liver cancer. This study evaluated inflammatory and liver injury biomarkers among newly diagnosed HBV-infected patients to reveal inflammation and liver injury levels.

Patients and Methods: This case-control study was conducted among 146 newly diagnosed drug-naive patients and 64 blood donors. Questionnaires were administered to obtain demographic data. Blood samples were collected to assess viral serological markers, inflammatory markers, liver function, and hematological indices. Also, non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis (APRI: aspartate transaminase - platelet ratio index, FIB-4: fibrosis 4 index, and AAR: aspartate - alanine transaminase ratio) were mathematically derived. The patients were categorized into acute and chronic infections based on their viral serological markers.

Results: Overall, 81.5% of the patients had an acute HBV infection, whereas 18.5% had a chronic HBV infection. There was a significant increase in the biomarkers of inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6, and liver injury (liver transaminases, FIB-4 index, and APRI) among the drug-naive chronic HBV-infected patients. The study also revealed significant anemia and leucocytosis in patients with chronic HBV infection. Further, the study showed a strong correlation between CRP and alanine transaminase among patients with chronic HBV infection.

Conclusion: There was increased anemia, inflammation, and liver fibrosis among the drug-naive chronic HBV-infected patients; hence, public education is required so patients with viral hepatitis B in Ghana would visit the clinic earlier enough for proper clinical management.