Use of serum aspartate aminotransferase levels and platelet count to predict hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C

ABSTRACT

Background: Chronic hepatitis C [CHC] induces inflammation, resulting in fibrosis. Liver biopsy is the gold standard for assessing histology. Progressive fibrosis results in portal hypertension, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia and decreased clearance with rise of the enzyme serum aspartate aminotransferase [AST] levels. To amplify this difference in AST and platelet counts in fibrosis, AST-platelet-ratio-index [APRI] was devised using noninvasive serum markers, suggesting that its application may decrease the need for liver biopsy