Comparison of non-invasive fibrosis markers and classical liver biopsy in chronic hepatitis C.

European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology

Usluer G, Erben N, Aykin N, Dagli O, Aydogdu O, Barut S, Cevik F, Ormen B

2012 Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. Volume 31 Issue 8

PubMed 22231498 DOI 10.1007/s10096-011-1513-6

FibroTest Reliability Independant Team vs. Biopsy vs. Biomarkers HCV Fibrosis Regional

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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