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The changes of platelet
counts and serum TPO levels in chronic hepatitis C patients during consensus interferon
therapy are reversible. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that an age of
less than 45 years and a serum TPO level elevation greater than 50% of baseline level at
week 12 of consensus interferon treatment are significant independent predictors
associated with the sustained response to treatment (75 chronic hepatitis C patients)
[51]. To complement thrombocyte counts, the prothrombin time and ALT/AST ratio, Saaden et al. have introduced a number of
additional parameters, the most informative of which turned out to be the age, the level
of g-glutamyl transferase GGT and the quantity of blood serum albumin (BSA). Clinical and
laboratory analysis enabled a noninvasive diagnosis of liver cirrhosis for a considerable
number of patients [19]. According to this extended Bonancini scale, the average
evaluation score for the patients with histologically confirmed cirrhosis was 5.5±1.9,
and for non-cirrhotic patients, 3.5±1.5. None of non-cirrhotic hepatitis C patients had
the score over 7. Totally, in 30% of cases one can avoid the biopsy and with a high
probability either reject or formulate liver cirrhosis by non-invasive biochemical scoring
[19]. |