Measurement and determinants of the natural history of liver fibrosis in hepatitis C virus infection: a cross sectional and longitudinal study

• DOI: 10.1136/gut.52.4.574
• Publication Date: 2003-03-11T22:42:13Z
• Authors: M Wright
• Keywords: Univariate analysis; Hepatic fibrosis; Hepatitis C

<b>Introduction:</b> The rate of development liver fibrosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection varies between individuals. This accounts for the variation duration progression to cirrhosis. aims this study were: (1) determine whether progresses linearly through grading scales and (2) identify factors which influence fibrosis. <b>Methods:</b> HCV infected patients who had undergone at least one biopsy were identified. Biopsies scored using modified HAI (Ishak) METAVIR systems, compared. Patients treatment naïve first biopsy. Demographic features examined their relationship (defined as stage/infection duration) univariate multivariate analysis. A subgroup with two biopsies was test assumption that a linear fashion. <b>Results:</b> total 917 included. Male sex (p&lt;0.00001), older age (p⩽0.00001), viral genotype non-1 (p=0.005) all associated rapid On multiple regression they accounted 29.5% variability (<i>r</i>²=0.295). Ishak scores highly correlated (<i>r</i>=0.935, p&lt;0.0001). In 137 biopsies, predicted probability an increase 1 on score too low assess linearity. <b>Conclusions:</b> account minority variability. scoring systems are equivalent. Linearity cannot be assessed only few years apart.