Advanced Stage Hepatic Fibrosis With Normal Liver Chemistries: A Case Report

This is a case report on a patient with biopsy-proven stage 2 hepatic fibrosis who routinely has had normal liver chemistries. This is important because liver chemistry tests are the standard physicians use to assess general liver health. There is not an abundance of research on patients with advanced hepatic fibrosis who have normal liver chemistries, but the research that is available all agree that liver biopsy is the better way to get a clear picture of the disease state of the liver. Biopsies of the liver are not as easily accessible or as cost-effective as simple blood work though. Patients are also less likely to agree to undergo a procedure than to get blood drawn. These are all obstacles in regard to changing the standard in determining liver health from laboratory work to liver biopsies, in addition to liver chemistries. This case report aids in the research already available on how normal liver chemistries should not automatically rule out hepatic fibrosis. This patient proves that fibrosis can be happening, and the blood tests are not reflecting that change. Due to this, further research and investigation on liver fibrosis and normal liver chemistries should be done.