Albumin- bilirubin score as a non-invasive serum biomarker for advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C infection: A case-control study

ABSTRACT

Background: In many health systems, primary care is the main source of health care services. Liver cirrhosis is a silent disease that causes no signs or symptoms until decompensation occurs. Therefore, a simple and readily accessible tool for predicting advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis is needed to aid general practitioners in primary care settings. Aim: To explore the predictive performance of Albumin Bilirubin (ALBI) score as a non-invasive serum biomarker for advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Methods: This case-control study was conducted at Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt, and comprised 400 participants divided into two equal groups. Group (I) 200 chronic HCV patients with advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis [F3-F4] and Group (II) 200 healthy controls. ALBI score was calculated for all study participants. Results: The AUROC for the ALBI score was 0.832 (95% CI 0.787-0.872) (p-value) Conclusion: ALBI score is reliable for predicting advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis and could be valuable in primary care