Unexplained chronic liver disease in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BMC Gastroenterology

Table 4 Laboratory findings in the study subjects with chronic liver disease, by aetiology

Laboratory variable	All patients (n = 150)	Aetiology known (n = 67)	Aetiology unknown (n = 83)
ALT (U/L)	34 (22–55)	41 (24–58)	30 (21–51)^*
> URR	60 (40.0)	34 (50.7)	26 (31.3)^*
AST (U/L)	44 (28–81)	52 (31–83)	41 (28–78)
> URR	84 (56.0)	41 (61.2)	43 (51.8)
ALP (U/L)	317 (207–416)	315 (250–423)	320 (200–385)
> URR	80 (53.3)	37 (55.2)	43 (51.8)
GGT (U/L)	29 (19–48)	29 (21–47)	29 (18–52)
> URR	30 (20.0)	14 (20.9)	16 (19.3)
Total bilirubin (μmol/L)	19 (10–38)	21 (12–51)	17 (10–31)
> URR	36 (24.0)	20 (29.9)	16 (19.3)
Albumin (g/L)	37 (28–50)	36 (30–50)	37 (27–50)
< LRR	63 (42.0)	27 (40.3)	36 (43.4)
Creatinine (μmol/L)	80 (62–97)	80 (62–97)	71 (62–88)
> URR	23 (15.3)	11 (16.4)	12 (14.5)
< LRR	19 (12.7)	8 (11.9)	11 (13.3)
Platelet count (10⁹/L)	125 (76–206)	123 (71–186)	147 (76–223)
< LRR	75 (50.0)	36 (53.7)	39 (47.0)
IgG (g/L)	23.9 (17.1–32.5)	27.0 (16.7–34.2)	21.6 (17.2–30.6)
> URR	55 (36.7)	31 (46.3)	24 (28.9)
HIV infection^a	4 (2.7)	1 (1.5)	3 (3.6)
Kato-Katz smear positive	23 (16.5)^b	13 (21.3)^c	10 (12.8)^d
APRI score > 0.7^e	92 (61.7)^f	46 (69.7)^f	46 (55.4)
FIB-4 score > 3.25^g	43 (28.9)^f	20 (30.3)^f	23 (27.7)
APRI score > 0.7 OR FIB-4 score > 3.25	94 (63.1)^f	46 (69.7)^f	48 (57.8)

Data are presented as number (%) or as median (interquartile range)
Laboratory reference ranges: ALT (8–40 U/L); AST (14–40 U/L); ALP (60–306 U/L); GGT (7–61 U/L); Bilirubin (3–38 μmol/L); Albumin (35–52 g/L); Creatinine (47–109 μmol/L); Platelet count (126–438 × 10⁹/L); IgG (0.8–27.8 g/L) [21]
^aOne patient with chronic HCV was co-infected with HIV.
^bStool sample missing in 11 patients.
^cStool sample missing in six patients.
^dStool sample missing in five patients.
^eAPRI: (AST (U/L)/URR of AST (U/L))/platelet count (10⁹/L) × 100
^fOne observation missing.
^gFIB-4: age (years) x AST (U/L)/(platelet count (10⁹/L) x √ALT (U/L))
*p < 0.05; significance of the difference between the aetiology known/unknown group
Abbreviations: ALP alkaline phosphatase, ALT alanine aminotransferase, APRI aspartate aminotransferase to platelets ratio index, AST aspartate aminotransferase, GGT gamma-glutamyltransferase, HCV hepatitis C virus, HIV human immunodeficiency virus, IgG immunoglobulin G, LRR lower reference range, URR upper reference range

ISSN: 1471-230X