Role of simple biomarkers in predicting fibrosis progression in HCV infection

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of subjects included in the study

	n = 36
No. of males, n (%)	27 (75)
Age (yr, range)	47 (25-68)
Race , n (%)
Caucasian	18 (50)
African American	11 (31)
Hispanic	7 (19)
Stage at time of initial biopsy, n (%)
Stage 0	1 (3)
Stage 1	18 (50)
Stage 2	9 (25)
Stage 3	8 (22)
ALT (IU/mL, range)	73 (14-322)
AST (IU/mL, range)	49 (22-266)
Platelets (× 109/L, range)	235 (185-362)
Median duration between biopsies (yr, range)	4 (2-9)

ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase.

Table 2 Differences in parameters between progressors and non-progressors at initial biopsy

	Progressors	Non-progressors	P value
No.	19 (14 with a 1-stage change; 5 with a 2-stage change)	17	0.999
Age (yr)	50	52	0.621
Sex	Male 13	Male 14	> 0.050 (NS)
	Female 6	Female 3
APRI	0.66	0.56	0.173
FIB-4	1.307	1.347	0.268
ALT (IU/mL)	92	47	0.003
AST (IU/mL)	100	38	0.001
Platelets (× 109/L)	235	243	0.956
Stage	2	1	0.477
Duration between biopsies (yr)	4	4	0.200

ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; APRI: AST/Platelet Ratio Index; NS: Not significant.

Table 3 Differences between progressors and non-progressors on repeat biopsies

	Progressors	Non-progressors	P value
APRI	1.293	0.413	0.0006
FIB-4	2.816	1.36	0.0038
ALT (IU/mL)	92	47	0.0030
AST (IU/mL)	100	38	0.0001
Platelets (× 109/L)	184	221	0.1160

ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; APRI: AST/Platelet Ratio Index.