Hyaluronic acid in the evaluation of liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C on haemodialysis

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the role of HA as a marker of liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C on haemodialysis. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study in which 52 patients were divided into two groups Group 1 patients with hepatitis C and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing haemodialysis (n = 23); and Group 2 patients with hepatitis C without ESRD (n = 29). Plasma levels of HA were associated with histological data of the samples obtained by liver biopsy and classified by METAVIR group scoring system. RESULTS: Higher plasma levels were significantly correlated to significant liver fibrosis (METAVIR > F2). In Group 1, the HA cutoff to discriminate significant fibrosis was 984.8 ng/mL, with accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 80.8 percent, 83.0 percent, and 70.0 percent, respectively. In Group 2, the HA cutoff was 222.3 ng/mL, with accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 74.5 percent, 70.0 percent, and 94.0 percent, respectively. CONCLUSION: HA was an accurate noninvasive marker in predicting significant fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C on haemodialysis.