Usefulness of noninvasive transient elastography for assessment of liver fibrosis stage in chronic hepatitis C

Table 3 Results of biochemical examination of patients

Stage	1	2	3	4	P
n	113	68	18	38
Platelet (× 104μL)	18.0 ± 8.0	13.9 ± 6.6	12.1 ± 5.7	9.9 ± 5.6	< 0.001
AST (IU)	47.3 ± 31.9	51.6 ± 27.2	63.8 ± 33.4	95.9 ± 142.2	0.001
ALT (IU)	60.9 ± 59.3	61.0 ± 40.5	75.8 ± 51.0	86.8 ± 135.7	0.023
ALB (g/dL)	3.9 ± 1.0	3.6 ± 1.3	3.8 ± 1.0	3.3 ± 1.1	0.036
HA (ng/mL)1	56.7 ± 65.8	89.2 ± 112.0	113.8 ± 125.8	509.3 ± 404.7	< 0.001
IV collagen (ng/mL)2	121.0 ± 57.5	149.9 ± 67.9	176.8 ± 129.2	229.7 ± 108.8	0.020
IV collagen 7S (ng/mL)2	5.5 ± 1.8	6.0 ± 1.6	8.9 ± 2.9	8.0 ± 2.1	0.001
P-III-P (U/mL)2	0.79 ± 0.19	0.88 ± 0.30	1.23 ± 0.60	1.02 ± 0.29	0.023

Results are given as mean ± SD.

¹HA was measured in 57 patients;

²IVcollagen, IVcollagen 7S, and P-III-P were measured in 52 patients. AST: asparate aminotransferase; ALT: alanine aminotransferase; ALB: albumin; HA: hyaluronic acid.