Background: FibroTest, a noninvasive method of measuring biomarkers of liver fibrosis, is an alternative to liver biopsy for determining the severity of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We compared the 5-year prognostic value of the FibroTest with biopsy staging for predicting cirrhosis decompensation and survival in patients with chronic HCV infection.
Methods: Fibrosis stage was assessed on the same day by FibroTest and biopsy in a prospective cohort of 537 patients. Disease classification at baseline was 157 patients with severe fibrosis (FibroTest >0.58), 137 with moderate fibrosis (FibroTest 0.32-0.58), and 243 with no or minimal fibrosis (FibroTest <0.32).
Results: In 64 untreated patients with severe fibrosis, survival without HCV complications was 73% [95% confidence interval (CI), 59%-086%; 13 complications], and survival without HCV-related death was 85% (95% CI, 73%-96%; 7 HCV deaths). Survival rates were higher in patients with moderate fibrosis, [99% (95% CI, 97%-100%; 1 complication; P <0.001) and 100% (no HCV death; P <0.001) for patients with and without HCV-related complications, respectively], and in patients with minimal fibrosis [100% (no complication; P <0.001 vs severe) and 100% (no HCV death; P <0.001 vs severe), respectively]. FibroTest was a better predictor than biopsy staging for HCV complications, with area under the ROC curves (AUROC) = 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93%-0.97%) vs 0.91 (95% CI, 0.85%-0.94%; P = 0.01), respectively; it was also a better predictor for HCV deaths: AUROC = 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93%-0.98%) vs 0.87 (95% CI, 0.70%-0.94%; P = 0.046), respectively. The prognostic value of FibroTest was still significant (P <0.001) in multivariate analyses after taking into account histology, treatment, alcohol consumption, and HIV coinfection.
Conclusion: The FibroTest measurement of HCV biomarkers has a 5-year prognostic value similar to that of liver biopsy.