Size or the number of portal tracts: which matters in a liver biopsy core in chronic hepatitis C?

ABSTRACT

Liver biopsy has an important role in staging of fibrosis [SoF] and grading of inflammation [GoI] in chronic hepatitis C [CHC] patients. The effect of size and number of portal tracts [NoP] on grading and staging of liver biopsy was evaluated. A total of 150 consecutive liver biopsy core [LBC] of patients with CHC were obtained. There were 98 [65.3%] males. Mean length of LBC was 1.45 +/- 0.48 cm. Mean number of portal tracts [NoP] was 11 +/- 4.6. Mean length of LBC was greater [1.60 +/- 0.45 cm] in stage 4 [n=41; 27.3%] and lesser [1.28 +/- 0.39] in stage 1 [n=23; 15%, p=0.04]. The mean NoP were 8.5, 10.6 and 13.1 in GoI 1, 2 and 3 respectively [p < 0.001]. The mean NoP were 7.6, 11.1, 11.3 and 14.5 in SoF 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively [p < 0.0001]. There was a good correlation between number of portal tracts and length of LBC [r[2]=0.56]