1446 – Hepascore test to diagnose and monitor liver fibrosis severity in chronic liver disease

New MBS item.

Hepascore is a blood test developed in Australia that assesses liver fibrosis severity and predicts clinical outcome. It has been well validated worldwide and has a high accuracy to predict significant liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. It has been routinely performed in Western Australia for patients with chronic liver disease since 2004. It uses four serum test results, namely: alpha2-macroglobulin, hyaluronic acid, bilirubin and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, as well as age and gender. The biomarkers are analysed using a 5ml blood sample and the Hepascore value is calculated according to a validated formula. The Hepascore test can be performed at the same time as blood is collected from patients for other purposes such as liver function tests at community pathology centres.

Type: Investigative

Chronic hepatitis C, chronic hepatitis B, alcoholic liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are the major causes of chronic liver disease. It has been estimated that more than 6 million people in Australia have chronic liver disease. 300,000 have chronic hepatitis C, 200,000 have chronic hepatitis B, 5.5 million have NAFLD and 4.5 million are at risk of alcoholic liver disease. Hepatitis C and hepatitis B are blood-borne diseases of the liver caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) respectively. Alcoholic liver disease is caused by excessive alcohol consumption. NAFLD is a metabolic disorder characterized by excessive triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes. All these diseases can lead to prolonged liver cell damage and formation of liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis progression is usually asymptomatic for the first two decades and eventually results in liver cirrhosis when hepatocellular carcinoma, liver related complications and death occur.

• PASC meeting: 9 August 2018
• ESC meeting: 8 - 9 October 2020
• MSAC meeting: 26 - 27 November 2020