Hepatitis B Foundation President Dr. Chari Cohen is quoted in a powerful new story about hepatitis B in The New Yorker. You can read it here.

Non-Invasive Calculations to Predict Liver Damage

TWiV 1163 Hepadnaviridae in the heartland 4APRI and FIB-4

Talk to your doctor about using non-invasive calculations such as AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and Fibrosis-4 index for Liver Fibrosis (FIB-4) to determine if there is evidence of liver disease. Ask for a copy of blood test results which are required for use with these calculators. Although you can use the calculators yourself, you’ll want to discuss your results with your health care provider. 

 

APRI calculator requires AST, AST upper limit of normal range and platelet count. (FIB-4) calculator requires Age, AST, Platelet count and ALT. It is highly recommended to ask your doctor about these calculators and their potential significance regarding the health of your liver.

You can learn more about AST, ALT and Platelet count blood tests here.