ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in predicting esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 271 patients with liver cirrhosis who attended the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from October 2014 to May 2017, and ARFI elastography was performed for all patients to measure the elasticity of the liver and the spleen. According to the presence or absence of esophageal variceal bleeding, the patients were divided into bleeding group and non-bleeding group, and related indices were compared between the two groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of ARFI elasticity in the diagnosis of esophageal variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis. The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. ResultsThe bleeding group had a significantly higher ARFI elasticity of the spleen than the non-bleeding group ［3.89(349-4.11) m/s vs 3.46(2.93-3.80) m/s, Z=-4.941, P＜0.001］, and there was no significant difference in the ARFI elasticity of the liver between the bleeding group and the non-bleeding group ［2.08 (1.57-2.74) m/s vs 1.98 (1.49-2.70) m/s, Z=-1.025, P=0.305］. The areas under the ROC curve for ARFI elasticity values of the spleen and the liver were 0.714 and 0.544, respectively, in predicting esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis (P=0.002 5). At the cut-off value of 3.71 m/s, the ARFI elasticity of the spleen had a sensitivity of 0.68 and a specificity of 0.69 in predicting esophageal variceal bleeding. ConclusionThe ARFI elasticity value of the spleen has a better value than that of the liver in predicting the risk of esophageal variceal bleeding and thus holds promise for clinical application.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo determine the reference range of liver stiffness in healthy population, and to investigate the influence of age and sex on liver stiffness. MethodsA total of 1794 healthy subjects who underwent physical examination in China National Petroleum Corporation Central Hospital from October 1, 2012 to October 31, 2014 were enrolled, and FibroScan was used to perform liver stiffness measurement (LSM). Since LSM value was not normally distributed, the Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare LSM value between male and female patients, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare LSM value between different age groups, and the Spearman's rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between LSM value and age. The one-sided percentile method was used to determine the range of normal reference values in male and female subjects or in different age groups. ResultsLSM was successfully performed in 1590 patients, and the rate of successful measurement was 88.63%. A total of 107 patients were excluded due to abnormal liver enzymes. The analysis showed that LSM value showed a significant difference between male and female subjects (Z=-4.980, P＜0.001), as well as between different age groups (χ2=16.983, P=0.001). Age was positively correlated with LSM value (r=0.087, P=0.001). The reference range was estimated to be ≤7.1 kPa in adults, ≤7.0 kPa in females, and ≤7.2 kPa in males. From the perspective of age, the reference range was estimated to be ≤6.8 kPa in persons aged 20-29 years, ≤6.7 kPa in persons aged 30-44 years, ≤7.8 kPa in persons aged 45-59 years, and ≤8.8 kPa in persons aged 60-74 years. ConclusionLiver stiffness value is influenced by sex and age. Sex and age should be taken into account while performing liver stiffness measurement in healthy subjects.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in predicting esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 271 patients with liver cirrhosis who attended the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from October 2014 to May 2017, and ARFI elastography was performed for all patients to measure the elasticity of the liver and the spleen. According to the presence or absence of esophageal variceal bleeding, the patients were divided into bleeding group and non-bleeding group, and related indices were compared between the two groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of ARFI elasticity in the diagnosis of esophageal variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis. The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. ResultsThe bleeding group had a significantly higher ARFI elasticity of the spleen than the non-bleeding group ［3.89(349-4.11) m/s vs 3.46(2.93-3.80) m/s, Z=-4.941, P＜0.001］, and there was no significant difference in the ARFI elasticity of the liver between the bleeding group and the non-bleeding group ［2.08 (1.57-2.74) m/s vs 1.98 (1.49-2.70) m/s, Z=-1.025, P=0.305］. The areas under the ROC curve for ARFI elasticity values of the spleen and the liver were 0.714 and 0.544, respectively, in predicting esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis (P=0.002 5). At the cut-off value of 3.71 m/s, the ARFI elasticity of the spleen had a sensitivity of 0.68 and a specificity of 0.69 in predicting esophageal variceal bleeding. ConclusionThe ARFI elasticity value of the spleen has a better value than that of the liver in predicting the risk of esophageal variceal bleeding and thus holds promise for clinical application.