TGFB1 and Hepatic fibrosis: Since PTX3 was related to the histological stage of liver fibrosis in HCV patients, we investigated whether PTX3 correlated with validated fibrosis markers, including direct serum markers (hyaluronic acid (HA), transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF-β1), and indirect markers, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet index (APRI index), FIB‐4 score, and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase to platelet ratio (GPR ratio).