Predictive value of the aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index and aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio in early diagnosis of intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy

Objective: We aimed to investigate the predictive value of the first-trimester aspartate aminotransferase/platelet count ratio index (APRI) and aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio for intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy (ICP). Material and Methods: The clinical data of patients who admitted to the Obstetrics Department of Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, between 2015-2020 were analyzed retrospectively. The study group consisted of 44 patients with ICP and the control group consisted of randomly selected 92 healthy pregnant women. Results: The two groups were similar in terms of age, BMI, first and third-trimester platelet count and third-trimester hemoglobin level. Patients with ICP had a significantly higher first-trimester APRI and a lower first trimester AST/ALT ratio than the healthy controls (p <0.001, p = 0.001, respectively). According to the ROC analysis, the optimal cut-off value of the APRI to predict ICP was 0.191, with the sensitivity of 0.66 and specificity of 0.66 (AUC: 0,727), and the optimal cut-off value for AST/ALT ratio was 1.07, with the sensitivity of 0.64, and specificity of 0.62 (AUC: 0,681). Conclusion: The first-trimester APRI score and AST/ALT ratio is an easy, inexpensive, and non-invasive tool that may be useful in predicting ICP early.