Hyaluronic Acid: From Biochemical Characteristics to its Clinical Translation in Assessment of Liver Fibrosis

CONTEXT: Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a high molecular weight polysaccharide that is distributed in all bodily tissues and fluids. The liver is the most important organ involved in the synthesis and degradation of HA. Research has shown that liver cell injury can affect serum HA levels. In this review, authors aimed to describe the biochemical and physiological roles of this glycosaminoglycan and its changes in various liver diseases. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Liver fibrosis and in more severe form, cirrhosis are results of an imbalance between fibrogenesis and fibrinolysis. Liver biopsy is the gold standard to assess liver necro inflammatory injuries. This method is invasive and has some major side effects; therefore it is an unfavorable method for both physicians and patients. Now, a wide variety of noninvasive methods have been introduced based on evaluating serum level of different markers. They are safe, readily available, and more favorable. Serum HA levels are used by some researchers to assess stages of liver fibrosis. RESULTS: There are several scientific studies indicating HA as a biomarker for high score fibrosis and cirrhosis in various liver diseases alone or in algorithm models. It seems from various algorithm models that the use of HA as a major constituent has more diagnostic reliability and accuracy than the use of HA alone. CONCLUSIONS: Use of HA in an algorithm model, is an extra and valuable tool for assessing liver necro inflammatory injuries- in parallel with liver biopsy- but more comprehensive studies are needed to approve the use of HA as an appropriate clinical tool.