Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the results of nine non-invasive serum biomarkers with liver biopsies to predict liver fibrosis stage. HCV-RNA-positive, HCV genotype 1, treatment-naive patients with chronic HCV infections were included from 14 centers (n = 77). The platelet count, AST/ALT ratio (AAR), cirrhosis discriminate score (CDS), FIB4, AST/platelet ratio index (APRI), age-platelet (AP) index, Göteborg University cirrhosis index (GUCI), FibroTest, and ActiTest were calculated and compared to histologic findings. All serum biomarkers, except AAR, were weakly or moderately correlated with liver biopsy results (ISHAK fibrosis score). The mean scores of FibroTest, FIB4, APRI, and AP index were significantly different between F0-F2 and F3-F4 groups and the negative predictive values (NPVs) of the F3-F4 group were 95%, 85%, 85%, and 83%, respectively, for these serum biomarkers. Our study suggests that serum biomarkers may help to diagnose significant fibrosis but inadequate to detect fibrosis in early stages. Although liver biopsy is still the gold standard to diagnose liver fibrosis, FibroTest, FIB4, APRI, or AP index may be used to exclude significant fibrosis with >80% NPV.
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The authors would like to thank Schering Plough Healthcare Products Inc. for their support.
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Appendix
Appendix
Study Group consists of Dilara Inan, MD, Assoc. Prof., Alper Gunduz, MD, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital; Akdeniz University; Ayfer Bakir, MD, Sakarya State Hospital; Huseyin Tarakci, MD, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Esrefpasa Hospital; Banu Yıldız Karaca, MD, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Esrefpasa Hospital; Arzu Kilcikarslan, MD, Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital; Mehmet Faruk Geyik, MD, Prof., Düzce University; Omer Faruk Kokoglu, MD, Assoc. Prof., Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University; Hasan Naz, MD, Eskisehir Yunus Emre State Hospital; Durdane Midikli, MD, Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital; Berrin Unlu, MD, Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital; Deniz Ozkaya, MD, Izmir Karsiyaka State Hospital; Esma Yuksel, MD, Izmir Karsiyaka State Hospital; Ilknur Vardar, MD, Izmir Ataturk Training and Research Hospital; Nesrin Turker, MD, Izmir Ataturk Training and Research Hospital; Serap Ural, MD, Izmir Ataturk Training and Research Hospital.
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Usluer, G., Erben, N., Aykin, N. et al. Comparison of non-invasive fibrosis markers and classical liver biopsy in chronic hepatitis C. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 31, 1873–1878 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1513-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1513-6