Does prolidase indicate worsening of hepatitis B infection?

Background: Hepatitis B infection is a health problem that affects more than 400 million people all over the world. We aimed to evaluate the usability of prolidase enzyme that plays an important role in collagen synthesis. Prolidase levels increase in hepatic damage, which can be used as diagnostic parameters in the progressions to chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection by evaluating it in different clinical forms of hepatitis B infection.

Methods: A total of 69 patients who presented to our clinic with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, 72 patients with inactive hepatitis B infection (IHB), and 45 healthy volunteers were included into this study. Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and prolidase levels of patients were measured. Hepatic biopsy was performed in patients with CHB infection. Prolidase levels were evaluated in three different groups, and its correlations with fibrosis were investigated.

Results: Prolidase was different between all groups (P < 0.001). Prolidase level was found to be higher in CHB and IHB compared to the control group. There was no correlation between this enzyme, fibrosis, and histological activity index.

Conclusion: In this present study, it is shown that prolidase levels increase in hepatitis B infection. It may be used as a biochemical marker in the chronic hepatitis B.