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Abstract: Objective To investigate the predictive value of high mobility group box-1 protein
(HMGB-1) and keratin 18 (K18) for biochemical nonresolution (BNR) in patients with chronic
drug-induced liver injury (cDILI). Methods Initial treatment patients with cDILI admitted
to the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from the January 1st, 2016 to
March 31st, 2024 were enrolled and followed up for 12 months. Fasting blood samples were
collected on the day after admission. HMGB-1 concentration was measured by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay, caspase-cleaved keratin 18 (ccK18) and full-length K18 (FL-K18) were
detected by magnetic particle based chemiluminescence immunoassay, the apoptotic index
(ccK18/FL-K18) was calculated. Baseline clinical data at admission were collected, including age,
gender, body mass index (BMI), platelet count (PLT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate
aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total
bilirubin (TBil), prothrombin time (PT) and immunoglobulin G (IgG). The patients were divided
into biochemical resolution (BR) group and BNR group according to follow-up outcomes.
Differences in the above indicators between the two groups were compared, and univariate and
multivariate Logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the influencing factors for
BNR. Results A total of 269 patients were included with a median age of 51.1 years and 78.1%
(210 cases) were female. The median HMGB-1 concentration was 5.5 μg/L, median ccK18 was
342.4 U/L, and median FL-K18 was 723.4 U/L. Patients in BNR group had significantly lower
age (median: 49.9 years vs. 53.9 years) and BMI [ (23.2 ± 3.1) kg/m2 vs. (24.2 ± 3.5) kg/m2 ] than
those in the BR group. Meanwhile, the levels of ALT (median: 116.0 U/L vs. 32.0 U/L), AST
(median: 175.0 U/L vs. 32.0 U/L), ALP (median: 121.5 U/L vs. 91.0 U/L), GGT (median: 97.5 U/L
vs. 47.0 U/L), TBil (median: 23.3 μmol/L vs. 13.4 μmol/L), PT (median: 11.9 s vs. 11.5 s) and
IgG (median: 14.6 g/L vs. 12.7 g/L) were significantly higher in the BNR group (all P < 0.05).
Patients in BNR group had significantly higher levels of HMGB-1 (median: 5.6 U/L vs. 5.2 U/L),
ccK18 (median: 676.6 U/L vs. 190.4 U/L) and FL-K18 (median: 1434.5 U/L vs. 401.6 U/L)
than those in the BR group, while the apoptosis index was significantly lower in the BNR group
(median: 0.45 vs. 0.50). All the above differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05).
Multivariate analysis showed that HMGB-1 (OR = 1.085, 95%CI: 1.022~1.152, P = 0.007),
IgG (OR = 1.030, 95%CI: 1.011~1.049, P = 0.002), AST (OR = 1.002, 95%CI: 1.000~1.004,
P = 0.037) and hepatocellular damage pattern (OR = 2.642, 95%CI: 1.190~5.864, P = 0.017)
were independent risk factors for BNR, and apoptotic index was a protective factor (OR = 0.085,
95%CI: 0.010~0.749, P = 0.026). Conclusions Elevated HMGB-1, elevated IgG, elevated AST,
decreased apoptotic index and the hepatocellular damage pattern were risk factors for BNR of
patients with cDILI. HMGB-1 and K18 could serve as novel biomarkers for predicting prognosis
in cDILI.
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