Process activity indicator
Type III collagen is synthesized as procollagen, from which, upon maturation, the amino-terminal fragment P3NP is cleaved off and enters the blood. Its concentration is proportional to the rate of formation of new connective tissue, so the marker reflects not so much the accumulated volume of fibrosis as the activity of the process right now. This makes it valuable for assessing dynamics: a decrease in P3NP during antiviral therapy for hepatitis or correction of metabolic disorders confirms that fibrogenesis has slowed down. As part of the ELF test, the indicator is used together with hyaluronic acid and TIMP-1, and the total index allows you to determine the stage of fibrosis without a biopsy.
How to prepare to donate blood
- on an empty stomach 8–12 hours, you can drink water
- Eliminate alcohol and intense exercise per day
- no smoking in an hour
- donate blood before physiotherapy, x-rays and massage
- Take medications in advance by agreeing with your doctor
How to read the result
Reference values depend on the method and equipment of the laboratory, so it is correct to compare results only within the same laboratory. A deviation of a few percent from the normal limit in itself rarely matters - the overall picture and dynamics are important.
The analysis must be interpreted by a doctor: an isolated indicator without a clinical context is often misleading and leads to unnecessary examinations.