What a Hepatitis Fibrosis Score

The hepatitis fibrosis score (HFS) is a non-invasive test that estimates the level of fibrosis in people with chronic hepatitis C. It is used to decide if a liver biopsy is necessary.

The HFS is calculated using a combination of blood tests and patient information, including:

* Age

* Gender

* Body mass index (BMI)

* Platelet count

* Albumin level

* Total bilirubin level

* Prothrombin time (PT)

* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level

* Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level

* Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level

The HFS ranges from 0 to 45, with a higher score indicating a greater likelihood of significant fibrosis or cirrhosis.

HFS Interpretation

An HFS of 0-4 is considered normal and indicates a low risk of significant fibrosis.

An HFS of 5-8 is considered borderline and indicates a moderate risk of significant fibrosis.

An HFS of 9-12 is considered high and indicates a high risk of significant fibrosis.

An HFS of 13-17 is considered very high and indicates a very high risk of cirrhosis.

An HFS of 18-45 is considered extremely high and indicates a near-certain diagnosis of cirrhosis.

The HFS is a useful tool for assessing the severity of liver fibrosis in people with chronic hepatitis C. However, it should not be used as a substitute for a liver biopsy, which is still considered the gold standard for diagnosing and staging liver fibrosis.