HCV patients.

1<p>Median of absolute values divided by upper limit of normal range.</p

Healthy individuals.

<p>Healthy individuals.</p

ROC plots of sH2a and of the combination score of sH2a and ALT.

<p><b>A</b>) Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plot of sH2a values for advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis (METAVIR 0–1 vs 3–4) for the group of 44 HCV patients. <b>B–C</b>) ROC plots of the combined scores of sH2a and ALT were made for advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis (METAVIR 0–1 vs 3–4) (B) or for intermediate fibrosis (METAVIR 0–1 vs 2–3) (C) of the same group of patients.</p

Model depicting the sequence of events in the fibrogenic process and changes in sH2a secretion.

<p>The membrane-bound precursor of sH2a is cleaved in the endoplasmic reticulum of healthy hepatocytes, traverses the secretory pathway and is secreted to the plasma (step 1). As a consequence of HCV infection and possibly also upon other insults, hepatocytes are damaged, their overall function is compromised and sH2a secretion is reduced, while intracellular enzymes like ALT are released to the plasma (step 2). This starts a process of inflammation (step 3), activation of hepatic stellate cells leading to fibrosis and then cirrhosis, which involve secretion and progressive accumulation of ECM components (step 4).</p

Univariate analysis of correlation of characteristics with advanced fibrosis.

1<p>Data is presented as n (%) except for age, which is presented as median (IQR); odds ratios are from simple logistic regression, using the forced entry method, on each variable. The dependent variable in the regression is state and the outcome is METAVIR score (1 if state is 3–4); CI, confidence interval presented for each explanatory variable.</p