Serum laboratory markers for noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of liver fibrogenesis in patients with chronic liver diseases.

Progressive hepatic fibrosis with the development of cirrhosis is a feature of almost all chronic liver diseases. Liver biopsy remains to be the gold standard for the diagnosis and staging of liver fibrosis. Laboratory tests for noninvasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis have been studied extensively in the past years. Many different parameters including circulating products of collagen synthesis or degradation, enzymes involved in collagen biosynthesis, extracellular matrix glycoproteins and proteoglycans or matrix-degrading enzymes and their inhibitors have been evaluated. Unfortunately, none of the currently used serum markers of liver fibrosis are sensitive and specific enough for accurate staging and monitoring of liver fibrogenesis. The review summarizes current information on laboratory tests used for noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of liver fibrosis. (Tab. 1, Ref. 29.)