Non-Invasive Histologic Markers of Liver Disease in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B

Background: an exact histologic staging of liver fibrosis is essential for identifying the best therapeutic strategy and determining the disease prognosis in patients with chronic hepatitis b (chb). while liver biopsy has a vital role in the management of liver diseases, it also sustains some limitations hampering its widespread use. objectives: in this study, we evaluated and compared several available indices of the severity of liver diseases in patients with hepatitis. patients and methods: exclusion criteria were as follows: decompensated liver disease, alcoholic liver disease or alcohol intake of 40 g or more per week; co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis c virus, or hepatitis d virus. results: results showed that ast to platelet ratio index (apri) (odds ratio = 2.35, p = 0.01) and age (odds ratio = 1.04, p = 0.007) were independently predictive of the presence of significant liver necrosis and inflammation. on the other hand, aarpri (odds ratio = 3.8, p = 0.07), age (odds ratio = 1.04, p = 0.02), and alt levels (odds ratio = 1.01, p = 0.007) were predictive of a significant liver fibrosis. further analysis with receiver-operating curve showed that none of these predictors had a fair diagnostic value (area under the curve < 70). conclusions: the apri had the highest sensitivity and specificity (64% and 71%, respectively) for prediction of the presence of liver disease. we suggest that apri may be applicable for the detection of a severe liver disease.