Prevalence of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in 699 Moroccan patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) can cause severe complications, including fibrosis and cirrhosis. Very little is known about the prevalence of these complications in the Moroccan population. METHODS: the prevalence of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis using a non-invasive blood test (FibroTest and ActiTest) was studied in 699 Moroccan patients with CHC for 4 years (from January 2014 to December 2017). The serum immunological markers: α2-macroglobulin, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A1 were analyzed nephelometrically on BN ProSpec® System. The serum biochemical markers: γ-glutamyltransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and bilirubin were performed using the VITROS® Chemistry System Ortho Clinical Diagnostic. A 699 patients with CHC were identified. RESULTS: the overall prevalence of cirrhosis (F4) was estimated at 31.8%. 13.9% of patients with cirrhosis had a risk of developing esophageal varices and a 3.3% risk of developing primary liver cancer. The association between cirrhosis and age showed an increase in prevalence after age 55 years old [OR=7.68(95%CI=4.9-12.2); p=0.0001]. No significant association for cirrhosis was found for sex. CONCLUSION: according to the results of FibroTest, 32% of patients with CHC had cirrhosis. The older age was independently associated with liver cirrhosis.

Keywords

• chronic hepatitis c
• cirrhosis
• fibrosis
• fibro test
• moroccan patients