Evaluation of Serum Golgi protein 73 as diagnostic value of liver diseases in children

Pediatric hepatic illnesses are often identified late due to nonspecific symptoms, necessitating reliable biomarkers. Aim: This research aimed to evaluate GP73 as a diagnostic biomarker for hepatic diseases in children. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional case-control research involved hundred children (50 patients with liver diseases: autoimmune hepatitis, hepatitis A/B/C, metabolic disorders; 50 healthy controls). Results: GP73 levels were significantly high in cases (median: 630.3 ng/ml vs. 337.1 ng/ml in controls, p below 0.001). Positive correlations were observed with liver span (r = 0.292), AST (r = 0.430), ALP (r = 0.359), fibrosis scores (APRI, FIB-4), MELD (r = 0.354), Child-Pugh score (r = 0.338), and fibrosis degree (r = 0.376) (p below 0.05). ROC analysis demonstrated GP73's diagnostic accuracy for hepatic illness (AUC: 0.771, sensitivity: 68%, specificity: 64%) and prediction of severe fibrosis (AUC: 0.826, sensitivity: 87.5%, specificity: 71.4%). Multivariate regression identified GP73 as an independent predictor of hepatic involvement (OR: 1.004, p< 0.001). Chronic hepatitis C (24%) and autoimmune hepatitis (18%) were common diagnoses. Patients exhibited lower anthropometric indices compared to controls (p < 0.001). Conclusion: GP73 is a promising biomarker for diagnosing pediatric hepatic diseases and predicting fibrosis severity. Its elevation correlates with liver dysfunction and structural damage, supporting its clinical utility.