LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, cilt.57, sa.5, ss.436-442, 2013 (SCI-Expanded)
The aim of this study is to predict potential hepatocellular damage by determining total antioxidant status (TAS) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 levels of different groups of dental surgery patients who are asymptomatic (normal alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase records). Patients were divided into five groups according to the anamnesis [to be diagnosed formerly as hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection or not], microbiological (positive-anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA-positive or negative) and biochemical test results. Except for the control group, serum anti-HCV antibody levels and line immunoassay tests were found positive in all groups. HCV RNAs were found positive only in group 3 whom were formerly diagnosed with HCV infection, not under medical treatment and in group 5 under medical treatment (<2x10(5)IUml(-1)). Statistical analyses were performed using one-way multifactorial anova (manova) at the statistical significance level of 5% and were confirmed that the changes in biochemical markers had significant effects on subjects who had been in different groups. Following multiple comparisons, significant groups' differences were obtained in all biochemical markers. In conclusion, to determine not only TAS levels but also the MMPs and evaluate those together may be noninvasive biomarkers for predicting the inflammation in liver and approaching the prognosis of HCV infection.