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Breath test may predict chronic hepatitis C progression

The risk of hepatitis C progression was accurately predicted by ¹³C₂-aminopyrine breath test, according to a study.

Researchers administered the breath test to 50 chronic hepatitis C patients at baseline and at 3-year intervals. During follow-up, 14 patients progressed at least two fibrosis units, with the breath test being the only covariate that predicted liver fibrosis progression in Cox’s multiple regression analysis (P<.001).

“The availability of diagnostic tests, potentially associated with progression, is a crucial step that would allow the optimization of preventive and curative strategies, as well as, improve the timing of therapeutic intervention,” the researchers wrote.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.