Routine blood tests to predict liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C

World J Gastroenterol. 2012 Feb 28;18(8):746-53. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i8.746.

Abstract

Aim: To verify the usefulness of FibroQ for predicting fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C, compared with other noninvasive tests.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 237 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C who had undergone percutaneous liver biopsy before treatment. FibroQ, aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR), AST to platelet ratio index, cirrhosis discriminant score, age-platelet index (API), Pohl score, FIB-4 index, and Lok's model were calculated and compared.

Results: FibroQ, FIB-4, AAR, API and Lok's model results increased significantly as fibrosis advanced (analysis of variance test: P < 0.001). FibroQ trended to be superior in predicting significant fibrosis score in chronic hepatitis C compared with other noninvasive tests.

Conclusion: FibroQ is a simple and useful test for predicting significant fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Keywords: Alanine aminotransferase; Aspartate aminotransferase; Aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index; Cirrhosis discriminant score; FIB-4 index; FibroQ; Liver fibrosis; Lok’s model; Noninvasive test; Pohl score.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Hematologic Tests / methods*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / blood*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / blood*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • ROC Curve
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Young Adult