Liver Biomarkers and Hepatitis B Evaluation

Fasting blood samples were taken. The biochemical parameters including ALT, aspartate transaminase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were measured using a biochemistry analyzer (7600 Series; Hitachi, Tokyo, Japan). The platelet count test was conducted with a hematology analyzer (XT-2000i, Sysmex, Kobe, Japan). The HBV DNA levels were quantified using real-time PCR (ABI 7500; Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) with the lowest detection limit of 500 copies/mL. According to published formulas, the calculation of blood fibrosis tests are aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index (APRI) ^{[13 (link)]} and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio (GPR).^{[14 (link)]}