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Abstract
Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) including chronic hepatitis-C (CH-C), liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are commonly encountered in the Middle East. Angiogenesis is the process by which new blood vessels are produced in a host, whereby capillary sprouts are formed in r~sponse to externally supplied chemical stimuli leading to stimulation of endothelial cell division, promoting endothelial cell migration, or both. Some recent studies reported that angiogenesis has noticed as a key factor in clarifying the pathophysiology of various diseases including chronic liver diseases (CLDs).
The present study comprised 70 patients with CLDs besides 16 healthy age and sex-matched controls. The patients were classified into three groups: group (I) composed of 22 patients with CH-C, group (II) included 23 patients with LC and lastly, group (III) which consisted of 25 patients with HCC.
The patients were subjected to full history taking and thorough clinical examination and investigations including ultrasonography, upper endoscopy, HBsAg, anti-HCV as well as liver function tests. All patients are proved to have positive anti-HCV test and any bilharzia! patient was excluded. Morning blood samples were taken from each patient and control
subject. Sera were separated by centrifugation and immediately stored at-70 oc until analysis of the biochemical indices included in the present
study: VEGF, NO, HA, Cath-D, total and lipid associated sialic acid, CEA and endostatin using ELISA assays and colorimetric techniques.