Diagnostic and risk stratification aspects of liver fibrosis progression in chronic hepatitis B and C viral infection

Abstract

The treatment strategy and prognosis for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection largely depend on the presence and stage of liver fibrosis. This study aimed to reveal the diagnostic and risk stratification aspects of liver fibrosis progression in patients with chronic HBV and HCV infection. The PubMed database, the Google Scholar search engine, the Cochrane systematic reviews, and the scientific electronic library eLibrary.Ru, as well as the reference lists, were used to search for scientific articles. Relevant aims of the publication review were selected over the period from 2005 to 2021 using the keywords chronic HBV infection, chronic HCV infection, liver fibrosis, diagnostics, and prognosis. Inclusion criteria were limited to liver fibrosis diagnostics in chronic HBV and HCV infection. Considering biopsy as a gold standard for studying morphological abnormalities in the liver, its indications for serum biomarkers of liver fibrosis and imaging methods assessments are currently significantly limited. Additionally, noninvasive methods are required to monitor the progression of liver fibrosis. The combined use of two unrelated noninvasive methods, for example, transient elastography and one of the serum biomarkers, can improve the accuracy of clinically diagnosing significant liver fibrosis. Considering that the development of liver fibrosis is an unfavorable event in the natural course of chronic HBV and HCV infection, the distribution of patients by risk groups will increase the efficiency of antiviral therapy and improve the disease prognosis.