This study was designed to evaluate the applicability of some fibrosis-related serum markers (YKL-40) and scors as predictors for extent of liver fibrosis, in patients with chronic hepatitis "C".
This study was carried out on 60 cases (51 males and 9 females) with chronic hepatitis C (positive HCV-Ab and positive HCV-RNA by PCR) visiting the Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious diseases Department, Banha University Hospitals. There was another group of 30 healthy volunteers of age and sex matched with patients as control group.
All patients included in this study were subjected to the followings : full history taking, thorough clinical examination, complete blood count, liver profile tests, detection of hepatitis C markers (HCV-Ab positive and positive HCV RNA by PCR) and exclusion of other possible causes of chronic hepatitis e.g.(HBV, schistosomaisis, autoimmune), abdominal ultrasonography and percutaneous liver biopsy with histopathological grading and staging using METAVIR scoring system.
This work proved that there was no significant differences regarding YKL-40 and the demographie and laboratory criteria of studied groups.
In the present study, YKL-40 at cut off value 3.072 had 62.5% sensitivity, 90.4% specificity, 50% PPV and 94% NPV with 83.1% accuracy and 95% CI was 0.68 – 0.98 to diagnose severe fibrosis (F3).
In the present study, the age-platelet index (API) showed no-significant correlation (p value < 0.18) with METAVIR stage.
In the present study, the AST to platelet ratio index (APRI) was significantly higher in patients than control group but it showed no- significant difference with METAVIR activity grade and stage.
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