Assessment of serum hydroxyproline and osteopontin as noninvasive markers of hepatic fibrosis in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

ABSTRACT

Background: Hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection is a progressive disease that may result in chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]. Liver fibrosis is an essential factor that must be considered in the management of patients with HCV. Although liver biopsy represents the gold standard for evaluating the presence, type and stage of liver fibrosis, this technique remains a costly and invasive procedure. Therefore, several diagnostic methods for determining liver fibrosis, such as the detection of serum biomarkers, have been used