Evaluation of the APRI (AST platelet ratio index) and ELF™ (Enhanced Liver Fibrosis) tests to detect significant fibrosis due to chronic hepatitis C

摘要

BackgroundThe assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients is important for prognosis and making decisions regarding antiviral treatment. Although liver biopsy is considered the reference standard for assessing hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C, it is invasive and associated with sampling and inter-observer variability. Serum fibrosis markers have been utilized as surrogates for a liver biopsy