Number Of Thrombocytes And Concentration Of Albumin In Blood - Markers Of Liver Fibrosis In Chronic Hepatitis C

Abstract

The aim. The aim was to evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of determining the number of platelets and the concentration of albumin in the blood as an indirect test for assessing the severity of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Materials and methods. There were examined 70 patients with CHC and 30 healthy persons. The number of platelets, the concentration of albumin, the ultrasonic elastography of the liver with the evaluation of the fibrosis stage by METAVIR were determined. Results. The platelet and albumin indices had an inverse strong relationship with the liver density index: r = -0.9 and r = -0.9, respectively. At a platelet level was more than 200×10⁹/l and an albumin concentration was more than 47.3 g/l, fibrosis is excluded. The sensitivity and specificity of the platelet count were 100% and 77.8%, for albumin levels these values there were 100% and 73.3%. Moderate and severe fibrosis can be stratified: when a platelet count is less than 200×10⁹/l and an albumin concentration is less than 44.1 g/l it is correspond to fibrosis of stage 3-4. Conclusion. The number of platelets and the concentration of albumin in the blood satisfactorily reflect the presence and severity of liver fibrosis in patients with CHC. These indicators can be used in wide clinical practice as indirect markers of fibrosis.