Abstract: Objective To investigate the relationship between serum apolipoprotein B / A1( APOB / APOA1) ratio and chronic hepatitis C( CHC)- related hepatic fibrosis,and to assess the ability of serum APOB/APOA1 ratio to identify significant hepatic fibrosis( ≥F2).Methods A total of 120 interferon treatment- na? ve CHC patients were selected from Dingxi,Gansu Province,China. Serum APOB,APOA1,and other clinical indicators of liver function were measured. Meanwhile,liver biopsies were performed,and the Metavir scoring system was employed to evaluate the stage of hepatic fibrosis. Continuous data were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation,and comparisons of the mean between groups were performed by t test. Categorical data were expressed as numerical value( percentage),and comparisons of the mean between groups were performed by Pearson χ2test. Correlation analysis was performed by Spearman's rank correlation analysis,and the receiver operating characteristic( ROC) curve was plotted. Results The APOB / APOA1 ratio was negatively correlated with the stage of liver fibrosis( r =- 0. 225,P = 0. 005). There was a significant difference in the APOB / APOA1 ratio between patients in the presence and absence of significant hepatic fibrosis( ≥ F2 vs F0- F1,P = 0. 015). Regarding the ability to distinguish CHC- related significant liver fibrosis,the ROC showed an area under the curve of APOB / APOA1 ratio up to 0. 63,with 93. 8% sensitivity and 30. 9%specificity. Conclusion There is an association between APOB / APOA1 ratio and the stage of CHC- related hepatic fibrosis. The APOB /APOA1 ratio has certain potential for identifying significant hepatic fibrosis in CHC patients.