by Gessessew Bugssa, Nega Berhe, Girmay Medhin, Shevanti Nayagam, Tilahun Teklehaymanot, Asgeir Johannessen Background Liver diseases are a major global health concern, affecting over 1.5 billion people and ranking among the leading causes of death. Sub-Saharan Africa carries a high burden, yet the underlying etiology of chronic liver disease is poorly described.
The aim of this study was to assess biomarkers of chronic liver disease and their determinants in Northern Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2019 and June 2020 among randomly selected participants aged 5 years or older in Alamata district of Tigray region.
Socio-demographic, behavioral, and clinical factors were collected via structured questionnaires; blood was tested for liver function biomarkers and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and stool samples for S.mansoni infection. Liver function biomarkers’ abnormalities were defined based on age and sex-specific thresholds.
Multivariable hierarchical logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported.
PLOS ONE (Medicine) published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 22 Jun 2026.
The item focuses on Biomarkers of chronic liver disease and their determinants in northern Ethiopia: Evaluating the synergistic impact of HBV and Schistosoma mansoni and the contribution of metabolic and lifestyle factors to liver injury.
Review the original article for the full source wording and details.