Liver function tests in identifying patients with liver disease

Figures & data

Table 1 Profile of patients

Items	Frequency	%
Gender (male), n	392	50.8
Ethnicity, n
Caucasian	626	81.2
African American	110	14.3
Asian	10	1.3
Unknown	3	0.4
Others	22	2.9
Etiology, n
Hepatitis C	253	38.5
Alcoholic liver disease	25	3.8
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease	159	24.2
Hepatitis B	14	2.1
Others	206	31.4
Alcohol use (yes), n	260	33.7
Tobacco use, n
Yes, currently use	267	34.6
Already quit	258	33.5
Never use	246	31.9
Fibrosis stage, n
0	162	21.0
1	107	13.9
2	217	28.1
3	83	10.8
4	202	26.2
Age (years), mean±SD	54.3±12.8

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Figure 1 Six serum markers and fibrosis stage.

Notes: Multivariable generalized linear models were used to estimate the predicted values controlling for age, gender, alcohol use, and tobacco use. ^*Statistically significant difference (P<0.05) compared to the fibrosis stage 0.
Abbreviation: ALK, alkaline phosphatase.

Table 2 Association between serum markers and fibrosis stage

Marker	Adjusted modela			Marker	Adjusted modela
	Mean	SD	P-value		Mean	SD	P-value
AST (normal: 17–59)				Total bilirubin (normal: 0.2–1.2)
Stage 0	58.14	4.29	Ref.	Stage 0	1.71	1.03	Ref.
Stage 1	50.49	4.74	0.2283	Stage 1	0.81	0.90	0.0872
Stage 2	63.39	4.27	0.2222	Stage 2	1.33	0.89	0.4867
Stage 3	70.02	4.27	0.0423	Stage 3	1.98	0.95	0.5085
Stage 4	73.25	4.28	0.0014	Stage 4	2.73	0.92	0.0188
ALT (normal: 0–55)				Albumin (normal: 3.5–5.0)
Stage 0	55.65	10.46	Ref.	Stage 0	3.48	0.21	Ref.
Stage 1	63.98	8.82	0.2226	Stage 1	3.91	0.21	0.0007
Stage 2	70.58	8.26	0.0092	Stage 2	3.81	0.18	0.0117
Stage 3	75.63	9.37	0.0025	Stage 3	3.88	0.17	0.0031
Stage 4	58.24	9.43	0.7787	Stage 4	3.34	0.18	0.0607
BUN (normal: 8–26)				Cr (normal: 0.7–1.3)
Stage 0	20.10	5.14	Ref.	Stage 0	1.00	0.28	Ref.
Stage 1	18.05	5.06	0.9556	Stage 1	1.16	0.26	0.1355
Stage 2	15.75	4.78	0.2832	Stage 2	1.01	0.27	0.4503
Stage 3	16.49	4.42	0.3162	Stage 3	1.10	0.25	0.3717
Stage 4	16.80	4.46	0.0775	Stage 4	1.07	0.24	0.6418
INR (normal: 0.9–1.2)				Glucose (normal: 70–99)
Stage 0	1.15	0.06	Ref.	Stage 0	111.47	7.12	Ref.
Stage 1	1.08	0.06	0.1258	Stage 1	108.24	6.60	0.9646
Stage 2	1.07	0.06	0.0475	Stage 2	119.28	5.69	0.0658
Stage 3	1.11	0.06	0.5516	Stage 3	120.49	4.98	0.1373
Stage 4	1.27	0.06	<0.0001	Stage 4	117.95	5.67	0.2094
ALK (normal: 38–126)				Platelets (normal: 140–440)
Stage 0	204.77	25.70	Ref.	Stage 0	228.80	17.96	Ref.
Stage 1	119.54	24.02	0.0007	Stage 1	225.76	19.32	0.3983
Stage 2	167.19	27.14	0.1173	Stage 2	223.39	18.63	0.1514
Stage 3	157.84	26.82	0.0914	Stage 3	195.95	17.49	0.0009
Stage 4	151.98	23.53	0.0070	Stage 4	151.75	16.77	<0.0001

Note:

a Multivariable generalized linear model adjusted by age, gender, alcohol use and tobacco use.

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; Ref., reference; Cr, creatinine.

Figure 2 Four serum markers and fibrosis stage.

Notes: Multivariable generalized linear models were used to estimate the predicted values controlling for age, gender, alcohol use, and tobacco use. ^*Statistically significant difference (P<0.05) compared to the fibrosis stage 0.
Abbreviation: Cr, creatinine.