Infection with hepatitis viruses, FIB-4 index and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in southern Italy: a population-based cohort study.

An elevated FIB-4 index turned out to be an important predictor of HCC occurrence. Although the standard method to assess hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis remains the histologic staging of liver biopsy specimen, the assessment of FIB-4 in HCV RNA-positive individuals may help in identifying the highest HCC-risk individuals who need anti-HCV treatment most urgently.