Prediction of prognosis in LEC rats with fulminant hepatitis

Abstract

We investigated possibility of predicting prognosis in LEC rats with fulminant hepatitis, using various biochemical and hematological parameters. Nine of 20 rats used in this study died of fulminant hepatitis. The plasma HGF levels were high in rats with fulminant hepatitis.
The multivariate analysis using biochemical and hematological data at 16 weeks of age and the surviving rate showed that serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is the most reliable parameter for predicting fulminant hapatitis. The higher the serum ALP levels were, the better the prognoses of LEC rats with fulminant hepatitis were. According to references, we suggest the serum ALP levels may reflect the regeneration of the liver. Therefore, it may be possible to monitor the regeneration of hepatocytes and to predict fulminant hepatitis by measuring both serum ALP and plasma (serum) HGF which promotes proliferation of hepatocytes.