Significance of the molar ratio of branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine before hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To predict the degree of liver fibrosis and select a safe operative procedure, the correlation between liver fibrotic ratio and preoperative liver function variables were analyzed, and the significance of the molar ratio of branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine determined preoperatively was investigated.

METHODOLOGY

Forty-four patients with hepatectomy were enrolled in this study. Liver tissue specimens excised from the patients were stained by Azan-Mallory's method. The liver fibrotic ratio was measured using an Image Cytometer. The correlation between liver fibrotic ratio and preoperative liver function values, including the serum level of branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine, were determined.

RESULTS

The degrees of liver fibrosis (normal group, 1.4 +/- 0.7%; chronic hepatitis group, 4.5 +/- 2.8%; cirrhosis group, 8.4 +/- 2.4%) correlated significantly with preoperative liver function values such as branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine, hepaplastin test, type IV collagen 7s domain, total bilirubin, indocyanine green clearance retention rate at fifteen minutes, and platelet count. The serum level of branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine showed the most-significant correlation with the degree of liver fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The serum level of branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine correlates well with the degree of liver fibrosis, and this value is a useful preoperative parameter for predicting the degree of liver fibrosis and for selecting a safe operative procedure.