title: [Serum markers of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Prognostic value of noninvasive markers of fibrosis in liver transplantation].
abstract: Liver fibrosis must be evaluated in patients with chronic hepatitis C, since its severity will affect prognosis and the indication of antiviral therapy. Combining serological markers of fibrosis in algorithms or scores can identify a substantial number of patients with significant fibrosis and most patients with liver cirrhosis, thus potentially avoiding a large number of biopsies. Although these algorithms should be interpreted with caution, due to their possible limitations, their high reproducibility, applicability and availability make them an essential tool in the current evaluation of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. In contrast, serological markers have been found to be less effective in the diagnosis of fibrosis in the context of recurrent hepatitis C infection after liver transplantation. However, an algorithm for direct markers has shown excellent predictive ability in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C. Consequently, this algorithm seems to be an excellent tool to establish prognosis and indicate antiviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Hepatología, Institut de Malalties Digestives, IDIBAPS, CIBERehd Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Forns
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Navasa
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers