title: [Evaluation of non-invasive fibrosis indices in Mexican patients with chronic hepatitis C].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Among the many methods proposed to predict the presence of fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C are the indices models obtained from serum biochemical tests, the aspartate aminotransferase-toplatelet ratio index (APRI) and the Forns index (FI).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the diagnostic accuracy of the Forns index and APRI for predicting cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 105 patients with chronic hepatitis C and a liver biopsy. The FI and APRI were calculated from the biochemical tests of each patient. Receivers operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated to determine the best cutoff to discriminate between cirrhosis (F4), advanced fibrosis (F3-F4), and portal fibrosis (F1) according to the Knodell score. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by obtaining sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for each of the indices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ROC curves showed that the best cutoff for predicting cirrhosis (F4) for the FI is >7.64, with Sn 62.5% and Sp 91.8% (Area under the curve, AUC = 0.881), for advanced fibrosis (F3 - F4) the best cutoff value is >6.93 with Sn 42.9% and Sp 89.6% (AUC = 0.772). An APRI value of >1.74 was the best predictor for F4 with Sn 75% and Sp 82% (AUC = 0.799), and a cutoff value of >1.7 for predicting F3-F4 with Sn 47.6% and Sp 85.4% (AUC = 0.768).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirm the utility of both the FI and APRI for predicting advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Clínica de Hepatitis, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional SXXI. México. nayelixoortiz@yahoo.com.mx
authors.forename: N X
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Olvera
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Herrera-Chi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Méndez-Navarro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morán-Villota
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dehesa-Violante
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests