THE PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF BLOOD MARKERS IN PREDICTION OF THE PROBABILITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIBROTIC PROCESS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C VIRUS

Abstract

Introduction. Recently, a negative trend of increasing the levels of prevalence, disability and mortality caused by chronic viral hepatitis C (HCV) infection has been determined. Around the world is defined 0.6-10.0 % suffer from chronic HCV (about 71 million with an annual increase of 1.75 million cases). Even higher are the levels of HCV seropositivity, which according to the WHO are about 100 million people (1.6 % of the world population). The WHO identified the need to improve the diagnosis of chronic HCV and to identify its asymptomatic forms and irreversible consequences (liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis). Increasing the effectiveness of existing and developing new diagnostic approaches to improve early detection of chronic HCV and its consequences (liver fibrosis) is an urgent issue. The aim. To determine the prognostic possibilities of blood markers for the diagnosis of the development of the fibrotic process in chronic viral hepatitis C. Materials and methods. 78 people were examined: 47 (main group) – with chronic HCV and 31 – without chronic HCV (comparison group). Results. Probable associations with increased risks of development of LF in chronic HCV were: increased Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) (OR=4.305; 95.0 % CI 1.187-15.619; p=0.026) and Platelets (OR=0.955; 95.0 % CI 0.922-0.989; p=0.011), which indicated increased chances of developing LF in chronic HCV when exceeding the standard MCH indicators (by 4.305 times) and reduced chances – when increasing Platelets (on 4,5 %). Conclusions. Based on the research, it was determined that blood markers can be used as a significant predictor of the development of LF of patients with chronic HCV. Increased levels of MCH and Platelets in blood serum characterize a significant relationship with the development of LF in patients with chronic HCV, which indicates a significant influence of blood markers on the pathogenesis of LF in patients with chronic HCV.