Zeinab Babaei1, Hadi Parsian. 1. Student Research Committee & Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. hadiparsian@yahoo.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The estimation of liver fibrosis is usually dependent on liver biopsy evaluation. Because of its disadvantages and side effects, researchers try to find non-invasive methods for the assessment of liver injuries. Hyaluronic acid has been proposed as an index for scoring the severity of fibrosis, alone or in algorithm models. The algorithm model in which hyaluronic acid was used as a major constituent was more reliable and accurate in diagnosis than hyaluronic acid alone. This review described various hyaluronic acid algorithm-based models for assessing liver fibrosis. DATA SOURCE: A PubMed database search was performed to identify the articles relevant to hyaluronic acid algorithm-based models for estimating liver fibrosis. RESULT: The use of hyaluronic acid in an algorithm model is an extra and valuable tool for assessing liver fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Although hyaluronic acid algorithm-based models have good diagnostic power in liver fibrosis assessment, they cannot render the need for liver biopsy obsolete and it is better to use them in parallel with liver biopsy. They can be used when frequent liver biopsy is not possible in situations such as highlighting the efficacy of treatment protocol for liver fibrosis.
BACKGROUND: The estimation of liver fibrosis is usually dependent on liver biopsy evaluation. Because of its disadvantages and side effects, researchers try to find non-invasive methods for the assessment of liver injuries. Hyaluronic acid has been proposed as an index for scoring the severity of fibrosis, alone or in algorithm models. The algorithm model in which hyaluronic acid was used as a major constituent was more reliable and accurate in diagnosis than hyaluronic acid alone. This review described various hyaluronic acid algorithm-based models for assessing liver fibrosis. DATA SOURCE: A PubMed database search was performed to identify the articles relevant to hyaluronic acid algorithm-based models for estimating liver fibrosis. RESULT: The use of hyaluronic acid in an algorithm model is an extra and valuable tool for assessing liver fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Although hyaluronic acid algorithm-based models have good diagnostic power in liver fibrosis assessment, they cannot render the need for liver biopsy obsolete and it is better to use them in parallel with liver biopsy. They can be used when frequent liver biopsy is not possible in situations such as highlighting the efficacy of treatment protocol for liver fibrosis.