Study of alpha fetoprotein, ferritin levels and liver ultrasonic findings in hemodialysis patients possessing hepatitis C virus antibodies in Tabriz

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Alpha Feto Protein (AFP) is the most important tumor marker of Hepato Cellular Carcinoma (HCC) and ferritin is a quantitative marker of iron in storage compartments. In this study for early assessment of (HCC), anti-HCV positive patients were investigated with AFP and obtained results for ferritin levels and ultrasonic findings compared with each other. Methods: Forty nine anti - HCV positive hemodialysis patients as case group and 41 anti-HCV negative hemodialysis patients as control group were randomly selected and studied for AFP and ferritin using EIA methods and liver ultrasonic findings. Results: The mean of AFP level in case group (6.8±0.9 ng / ml) was significantly higher than that of control group (3.1± 0.3 ng / ml) and by statistical analysis significant difference between the two groups was noticed (p < 0.05).Comparing serum ferritin level between the two groups, no significant difference was observed (p > 0.05). No significant correlation was found between age and sex with AFP or ferritin in the both groups.Sonographic findings in anti -HCV positive patients with high level of AFP showed 16.3% slight splenomegaly and 2% splenomegaly with vein dilation and 4.1% splenomegaly with cholelithasis. Conclusion: The results of this study emphasis on the necessity of routine AFP evaluation in anti - HCV positive patients for early assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma.