Does <i>Helicobacter pylori </i>infection affect indirect hepatic fibrosis tests?


BOZKINA A. Ç., BENGİ G., DOLU S., AYSAL AĞALAR A., SOYTÜRK M., ELLİDOKUZ E. B., ...Daha Fazla

HEPATOLOGY FORUM, cilt.6, sa.3, ss.105-110, 2025 (ESCI) identifier identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 6 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.14744/hf.2024.2024.0067
  • Dergi Adı: HEPATOLOGY FORUM
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.105-110
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: APRI, FIB-4, Helicobacter pylori
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background and Aim: Early detection, accurate evaluation, and proper follow-up of fibrosis in chronic liver disease are crucial for improving disease prognosis. Indirect biochemical fibrosis tests, such as the AST-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score, have been developed, incorporating parameters like AST, ALT, and platelet count. However, the influence of factors such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) on fibrosis tests such asAPRI and FIB-4 remains unclear, and this study aimed to evaluate its impact. Materials and Methods: This study included 190 patients (aged >= 18 years) who underwent gastric and liver biopsies at a tertiary center between 2006 and 2021. Patients were categorized into three groups based on liver histopathological findings: mild (F0-1), moderate (F2-3), and advanced (F4-6) fibrosis. Additionally, patients were grouped based on H. pylori presence as determined by gastric histopathology. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, imaging, and histopathological characteristics were analyzed and compared between groups. Results: Among the 190 patients, H. pylori was detected in 135 (71%) and was absent in 55 (29%). No significant differences were observed between H. pylori-positive and-negative groups in terms ofAST, ALT, platelet count, INR, FIB-4, or APRI scores. For APRI, significant differences were found between mild-moderate and mild-advanced fibrosis groups (p<0.001), but not between moderate and advanced groups (p>0.05). For FIB-4, significant differences were observed across all fibrosis groups (p<0.001). The presence of H. pylori did not significantly affect the APRI or FIB-4 scores within any fibrosis group. Conclusion: The presence of H. pylori did not significantly impact APRI or FIB-4 scores. These indices can reliably assess liver fibrosis, regardless of H. pylori status.