Analysis on the changes of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme and C reactive protein in liver cirrhosis patients

Objective To investigate the changes of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme( ACE) and C reactive protein( CRP) in liver cirrhosis patients. Methods A total of 275 patients with liver cirrhosis and 241 healthy subjects( control group) were enrolled,and their serum ACE activities and CRP levels were determined. The patients with liver cirrhosis were classified into Class A( 96 cases),Class B( 118 cases) and Class C( 61 cases) groups according to liver function Child-Pugh classification standard. ACE activity 65 U / L and CRP level 10 mg / L were as positive judgment values,and the positive rates between the 2 groups were compared. All the subjects were classified into low CRP( ≤10 mg / L) group( 306 cases) and high CRP( 10 mg / L) group( 210 cases),and the prevalence rates between the 2 groups were compared. The 275 patients with liver cirrhosis were classified into high ACE( ≥ 65 U / L) group( 158 cases) and low ACE( 65 U / L) group( 117 cases),and the CRP levels between the 2 groups were compared. Serum ACE activities and CRP levels were analyzed by linear correlation analysis. Results The serum ACE activities and CRP levels were higher in Class A,B and C groups than in the control group( P 0. 01),and the serum ACE activities and CRP levels increased gradually in Class A,B and C groups( P 0. 01). For serum ACE activity 65 U / L as positive judgment value,the positive rate was 74. 5% in the liver cirrhosis group,and the positive rate was 5. 4% in the control group. For CRP level 10 mg / L as positive judgment value,the positive rate was 68. 7% in the liver cirrhosis group,and the positive rate was 8. 7% in the control group. The prevalence rate in the high CRP group was 90. 0%( 189 /210),and was 28. 1%( 86 /306) in the low CRP group. The former prevalence rate was 3. 2 times than the latter prevalence rate. When the low CRP group was as the reference group,the risk odds ratio( OR) in the high CRP group was 7. 937 [95% confidence interval( CI) : 6. 132-10. 530,P 0. 01]. The CRP level in the high ACE group [28. 6( 14. 8-86. 3) mg / L]was significantly higher than that in the low ACE group [15. 5( 4. 3-42. 7) mg / L]( P 0. 01). Serum ACE activities and CRP levels were positively correlated( r =0. 468,P 0. 01). ConclusionsThe occurrence and development of liver cirrhosis associate with the changes of ACE and CRP. Inflammation and high ACE status play important roles in occurrence and development of liver cirrhosis.