Diagnostic accuracy of the {gamma}-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio to predict liver fibrosis in Egyptian patients with HCV genotype 4

Given the high disease burden with viral hepatitis, and the advent of highly effective direct-acting antivirals against HCV infection, the WHO is now developing a global strategy to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.1 Increasing the uptake of HCV diagnosis and treatment will become a key intervention in achieving this goal. Although antiviral drugs should be considered for all persons with chronic HCV infection, those with significant liver fibrosis, and especially cirrhosis, should be prioritised for treatment, as they are at increased risk of hepatic complications. Current WHO guidelines for HCV recommend aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) or Fib-4 for the fibrosis assessment in low/middle-income countries (LMIC), because of their low cost and wide availability.2 Recently, Lemoine et al3 developed a novel simple index called -glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) to platelet ratio (GPR) in African patients with chronic hepatitis B and showed its superiority...

Source: Gut - August 8, 2016 Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Shimakawa, Y., Bonnard, P., El Kassas, M., Abdel-Hamid, M., Esmat, G., Fontanet, A. Tags: PostScript Source Type: research