FibroACT
FibroACT is a noninvasive alternative to liver biopsy recommended by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), World Health Organization (WHO), Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) for non-invasive evaluation of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C patients. The test utilizes five serum biochemical markers, alpha-2-macroglobulin, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A1, bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and alanine aminotransferase, matched with the patient's age and gender to algorithmically generate a measurement of fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity in the liver. FibroACT is validated to differentiate hepatic cirrhosis from non-cirrhosis in individuals with HCV or other chronic liver diseases. Results are provided with an enhanced graphical report including a color-coded scale for fibrosis and inflammatory scores.
Hepatitis C Facts:
- Affects an estimated 3.5 million people in the US who have Hepatitis C
- The leading cause of liver cancer in the United States.
- 75 to 85 percent of HCV infections become chronic conditions.
Benefits of FibroACT:
- Can assess injury to the liver following a diagnosis of HCV infection
- Reduces the need for biopsy
- Can be used for monitoring, frequently and safely
- Non-invasive and no fasting required
| FibroACT | Liver Biopsy | |
|---|---|---|
| Contradiction | Gilbert's syndrome and non-hepatic inflammation | Uncooperative patient, severe coagulopathy, extrahepatic biliary obstruction, ascites, morbid obesity |
| Risks | Very little to none | Pain, bleeding, pneumothorax, hemothorax, infection |
| Cost | Less expensive than biopsy | Expensive |
| Limitation | Indirect measurement of changes in the liver | Sampling error, inter-observer variability, possible hospitalization |
| Test Nature | Non-Invasive | Invasive |
| Advantages | Measurement of global fibrosis, suitable for monitoring | Direct, evaluation of co-existing pathologies |