The role of liver biopsy in chronic hepatitis C.

[Guest guest]

Hepatology 2001 Jan;33(1):196-200

The role of liver biopsy in chronic hepatitis C.

Saadeh S, Cammell G, Carey WD, Younossi Z, D,

Easley K

Hepatology Section/Department of Gastroenterology, and

the.

[Record supplied by publisher]

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic

liver disease worldwide,

affecting 175 million people globally. Over 80% of

acutely infected patients

go on to develop chronicity, but only 20% to 25% will

develop end-stage

liver disease and its complications. The sequelae of

HCV-induced chronic

liver disease accounts for 8,000 to 10,000 deaths

annually in the United

States and is currently the leading indication for

liver transplantation. To

date, there are no accurate noninvasive markers of

disease activity and

fibrosis. Liver biopsy is indicated to exclude other

forms of liver

pathologies and to establish the stage of liver

disease. In this study, the

role of liver biopsy in chronic hepatitis C was

evaluated. Additionally, we

calculated a discriminant score to predict cirrhosis

in chronic hepatitis C

infection. Our results showed that additional

diagnoses or unsuspected

diagnoses are less frequent than clinicians'

suspected. We confirmed that

the discriminant score for predicting cirrhosis is

inferior to liver biopsy.

In conclusion, the majority of patients with chronic

hepatitis C will

require a liver biopsy, which has an important

implication on staging of the

liver disease, prognosis, and possibly further

management options.

PMID: 11124836

__________________________________________________