Biological markers of liver fibrosis and activity as non-invasive alternatives to liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis C and associated mixed cryoglobulinemia vasculitis

Objective and methods: We assessed the reliability of non-invasive biological scoring indexes (Fibrotest-Actitest [FT-AT], Forns, APRI, age-platelet, platelet, hyaluronic acid) as non-invasive alternatives to liver biopsy (LB) in 138 HCV-infected patients. Results: Thirty-six of 138 (26%) patients had systemic vasculitis, 27% significant serum inflammation, 47% fibrosis (F2F3F4) on LB. The diagnostic value of FT (F2F3F4 vs. F0F1) was assessed by an AUC of 0.83, without difference regarding to systemic vasculitis or serum inflammation. A discordance between FT-AT and the Metavir scoring indexes, present in 29% of patients, was associated with serum hemolysis and male but not with systemic vasculitis or serum inflammation. The other non-invasive biological tests were not influenced by serum inflammation or systemic vasculitis but were less reliable than FT (P <= 0.05). Conclusion: The FT-AT is a reliable non-invasive biochemical alternative to LB in HCV-infected patients with systemic vasculitis and is more reliable than other non-invasive biological indexes. (c) 2006 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. All rights reserved.