Use: Screening patients suspected to be at risk for liver fibrosis.
AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) is reported to be a simple, noninvasive, and readily available laboratory test index that can stratify patients with HCV and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) who are at high or low risk for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis with high degree of accurancy.
FIB-4 index is reported to be a simple, accurate, noninvasive, and readily available laboratory test index that can help in evaluation of patients with HCV and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) for the presence of liver fibrosis indication for liver biopsy, and other liver-related complications.
Limitations: Clumping may cause false low platelet count. Platelet satellitism around neutrophils will cause a pseudothrombocytopenia. RBC or WBC fragments including fragmented fragile leukemic cells and neutrophil pseudoplatelets may cause falsely elevated counts.
Methodology: See individual test components.