Usefulness of non-invasive serum markers for predicting liver fibrosis in Egyptian patients with chronic HCV infection.

Accurate monitoring of liver fibrosis changes in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection would be helpful in defining the need to intervene, implement the appropriate response in treatment and to minimize the use of liver biopsy. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of the different serum markers and indices in detecting liver fibrosis in study patients. Initial liver biopsy, routine liver function tests, estimation of hyaluronic acid, MMP-1, and PIIINP levels was performed for 30 Egyptian patients with HCV and 15 controls. Marker algorithms based on common laboratory such APRI score, Fibrotest and Actitest. PIIINP and MMP-1 serum markers were combined and entered into a stepwise logistic regression analysis with formulation of a score equation for fibrosis staging. Combined PIIINP and MMP-1 yielded different cut off scores to estimate two clinically relevant fibrosis stages: "significant fibrosis" versus "extensive fibrosis. Apri score also showed AUC of 1.0 with 100 % sensitivity and specificity to exclude the presence of cirrhosis and was significantly correlated to Metavair fibrosis stage in early fibrosis. On the other hand, PIIINP, Fibrotest and acti test were significantly correlated to Metavair fibrosis stage in both early and late fibrosis. In conclusion, integrating PIIINP/MMP-1 score was able to provide reliable information about the degree of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients using different cut-offs values. A combination of liver markers as well as its related indices is an emerging tool to differentiate early from advanced liver fibrosis in HCV patients.