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Abstract
The degree of liver fibrosis in patients with Hepatitis C (HCV) provides important prognostic information; however, the only current method available to obtain this information is by performing a liver biopsy. Liver biopsies are invasive, associated with complications, and costly. There has been recent interest in developing a panel of serum markers that can reliably predict the presence of fibrosis and, thus, obviate the need for a liver biopsy. The goal of this paper is to review available data on the staging and assessment of liver fibrosis with serum markers.
ABSTRACT
Both the prognosis and potential treatment of chronic liver disease greatly depend on the progression of liver fibrosis, which is the ultimate outcome of chronic liver damage. Historically, liver biopsy has been instrumental in adequately assessing patients with chronic liver disease. Histological assessment allows clinicians both to obtain diagnostic information and initiate adequate therapy. However, the technique is invasive, associated with complications, and costly. Multiple diagnostic tests have been developed for the staging of fibrosis using noninvasive methods, most of them in the setting of chronic hepatitis C. The goal of this paper is to review available data on the staging and assessment of liver fibrosis with serum markers.
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