Sound touch elastography linear combined with ultrasound score for staging liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To study the value of sound touch elastography (STE) linear combined with ultrasound score (US) in the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) liver fibrosis, and to investigate whether their combination can improve the diagnostic efficiency of subdividing the degree of CHB liver fibrosis. Furthermore, a comparison with STE linear combined with the serological model was performed to seek the optimal linear combination model.Methods:A total of 313 subjects were enrolled from September 2018 to December 2021 in Shenzhen Third People′s Hospital Affiliated to Guangdong Medical University, including 259 patients with CHB who had completed liver biopsy and 54 healthy volunteers. CHB patients were divided into liver fibrosis group (F1-F4 group) according to METAVIR classification standard, and healthy volunteers were used as the control group. All subjects underwent liver ultrasound examination, STE and blood biochemical indexes of liver function. The US was performed according to the liver ultrasound examination, and the liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was measured by STE, aspartate aminotransferase and platelet ratio index (APRI) was calculated by blood biochemical index. Fisher discriminant analysis was used to establish the linear combination (LC) diagnostic marker of US and LSM, and the linear combination (LC2) diagnostic marker of LSM and APRI, successively. Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlations between US, LSM, APRI, LC2, LC and pathological results. The ROC curves of US, LSM, APRI, LC2 and LC for diagnosing CHB liver fibrosis were plotted, and the diagnostic efficiency of above diagnostic markers was evaluated according to the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and area under the ROC curve (AUC).Results:The formula for the linear combination of US and LSM was LC=0.986 0×US+ 0.166 7×LSM, and LC was highly positively correlated with pathological findings ( rs=0.851, P<0.001), higher than US, LSM, LC2 and APRI ( rs=0.825, 0.775, 0.802, 0.586, all P<0.001). LC showed the best diagnostic efficiency. The AUCs for diagnosing ≥F1, ≥F2, ≥F3 liver fibrosis and =F4 cirrhosis were 0.945, 0.911, 0.954, 0.955, respectively, which superior to the AUCs of US (0.913, 0.879, 0.934 and 0.916, respectively), the AUCs of LSM (0.860, 0.871, 0.934 and 0.952, respectively) and the AUCs of LC2(0.899, 0.883, 0.941, 0.946, respectively). Compared with US, the AUC of LC diagnosis of ≥F1, ≥F2, ≥F3 liver fibrosis and =F4 cirrhosis increased by 3.2%, 3.2%, 2.0% and 3.9%, respectively, with all significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with LSM, the AUC of LC increased by 8.5%, 4.0%, 2.0% and 0.3%, respectively, with significant difference ( P<0.05) except for stage =F4 cirrhosis.Compared with LC2, the AUC of LC increased by 4.6%, 2.8%, 1.3% and 0.9%, respectively, and there were significant differences in the diagnosis of ≥F1 and ≥F2 liver fibrosis ( P<0.05). Moreover, the overall efficiency of LC2 was not significantly improved than LSM, the difference was not significant ( P>0.05). Conclusions:US, LSM, LC2 and LC can be used to diagnose the degree of CHB liver fibrosis, but LC is better than US or LSM and LC2 alone, especially in the subdivision of mild liver fibrosis, which is a promising new diagnostic marker to subdivide the degree of CHB liver fibrosis.

Liver and spleen stiffness measurements in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms and their clinical significance / 中国基层医药

Objective:To measure liver and spleen stiffness in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms and analyze their clinical significance.Methods:Fifteen healthy volunteers and 27 patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms underwent liver and spleen thickness measurements using FibroScan 502 Touch medical device between June 2018 and June 2020 in Hebei Petro China Central Hospital and they were included in this study. Liver and spleen stiffness was correlated with clinical laboraty indicators.Results:Liver stiffness, spleen stiffness, and the difference between spleen stiffness and liver stiffness in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms were significantly greater than those in healthy controls [(6.34 ± 2.22) kPa vs. (5.07 ± 1.27) kPa; (26.00 ± 10.66) kPa vs. (13.61 ± 5.64) kPa; (19.65 ± 10.37) kPa vs. (8.54 ± 5.33) kPa, t = -2.01, -4.30, -4.06, all P < 0.05]. Platelet count was negatively correlated with liver and spleen stiffness ( r = -0.39, -0.42). White blood cell count was negatively correlated with the difference between spleen stiffness and liver stiffness ( r = -0.40, P < 0.05). The uric acid level was negatively correlated with liver stiffness ( r = -0.54, P < 0.05), but it was positively correlated with spleen thickness ( r = 0.41, P < 0.05). The percentage of B lymphocytes among lymphocytes was negatively correlated with spleen stiffness and the difference between spleen stiffness and liver stiffness ( r= -0.56, -0.56, both P < 0.05). The percentage of diseased megakaryocytes was positively correlated with spleen stiffness ( r = 0.40, P < 0.05). The percentage of sideroblasts was negatively correlated with liver stiffness ( r = -0.44, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Spleen stiffness and liver stiffness are closely related to clinical indicators in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms, including white blood cell count, platelet count, uric acid level, percentage of B lymphocytes, diseased megakaryocytes and sideroblasts. Dynamic monitoring of liver and spleen stiffnesses or in combination with bone marrow examination in future can help evaluate the condition of patients with BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Liver stiffness and spleen stiffness measured by two-dimensional shear wave elastography for evaluation of high risk varices in patients with compensated cirrhosis / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To explore the value of liver stiffness and spleen stiffness measured by two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) in predicting high-risk varices (HRV) with compensated cirrhosis patients.Methods:Seventy patients with compensated cirrhosis who attended the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from November 2019 to April 2022 were recruited. All patients underwent examinations of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) by 2D-SWE. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the occurrence of HRV. The diagnostic performances of LSM, liver stiffness (by 2D-SWE)-spleen length-to-platelet (LSPS) score, and SSM in predicting HRV were compared.Results:SSM was not technically feasible in 6/70 (8.6%) patients due to small volume of spleen.Among 64 patients with compensated cirrhosis, 30/64 (46.9%) were HRV. Binary multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that SSM and platelet counts were independent influencing factors for predicting HRV, with OR values of 1.126 ( P=0.006) and 0.971 ( P=0.039), respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of LSM, LSPS score, and SSM were 0.660, 0.828 and 0.858, respectively. The AUCs of SSM and LSPS score were significantly higher than that of LSM ( P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference between SSM and LSPS score ( P=0.608). Conclusions:LSM and SSM measured by 2D-SWE have high success rate. SSM and LSPS score have high value in predicting HRV in patients with compensated cirrhosis, and the diagnostic performances of the above two methods are significantly higher than that of LSM.

Clinical Efficacy of Gandouling Combined with Short-term Decoppering on Hepatic Fibrosis of Wilson's Disease Based on Transient Elastography / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the accuracy of clinical common serum fibrosis indexes hyaluronic acid （HA）， type Ⅳ collagen （CⅣ）， laminin （LN）， and type Ⅲ procollagen peptide （PⅢNP）， in combination with liver stiffness measurement （LSM， measured by transient elastography） and non-invasive markers of fibrosis aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index （APRI） and fibrosis-4 （FIB-4） in the prediction of the hepatic fibrosis of Wilson's disease （WD） and to observe the clinical effect of Gandouling （GDL）. MethodThe data of 76 WD patients were collected and the LSM， serum fibrosis indexes （HA， PⅢNP， CⅣ， LN）， APRI， and FIB-4 before treatment were recorded. The correlation of LSM with serum fibrosis indexes， APRI， and FIB-4 was discussed via Pearson′s correlation analysis. According to the therapeutic schemes， patients were classified into the control group （36 cases） and treatment group （40 cases）. Patients in control group were treated with sodium dimercaptopropylsulfonate （DMPS）， while those in the treatment group received GDL in addition to the western medicine therapy. The treatment lasted 6 courses （8 days/course） and the influence of GDL on the indictors was evaluated. ResultHA， CⅣ， LN， PⅢNP， APRI， and FIB-4 were in positive correlation with LSM （r=0.517， 0.438， 0.281， 0.457， 0.778， 0.847， P<0.01）. HA， CⅣ， LN， and PⅢNP in the treatment group were lower after treatment than before treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）. HA， CⅣ， and LN in the control group were lower after treatment than before treatment （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and PⅢNP showed no significant difference. LSM， FIB-4， and APRI in both groups decreased after treatment （P<0.05）. After treatment， LSM， FIB-4， APRI， HA， and PⅢNP in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）， but CⅣ and LN demonstrated no significant difference from the control group. ConclusionLSM in combination with serum fibrosis indexes （HA， PⅢNP， CⅣ， LN）， FIB-4， and APRI can help accurately identify the level of the hepatic fibrosis in WD. Moreover， on the basis of decoppering by western medicine， GDL can significantly improve the liver function and hepatic fibrosis of WD patients.

Clinical value of two-dimensional shear wave elastography in predicting esophageal varices in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis by evaluating liver and spleen stiffness / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) in the noninvasive evaluation of the presence or absence of esophageal varices (EV) in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis by liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and spleen stiffness measurement (SSM). MethodsA total of 172 patients who were diagnosed with hepatitis B cirrhosis in Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from April 2019 to February 2020 were enrolled in a prospective study, and according to the results of gastroscopy, they were divided into non-EV group and EV group. The two groups were compared in terms of spleen thickness (ST), spleen diameter (SD), LSM, and SSM. The independent samples 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. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to investigate the value of LSM and SSM in the diagnosis of EV, and the Z test was used to compare the diagnostic accuracy of LSM and SSM. ResultsThere were 121 patients in the EV group and 51 patients in the non-EV group. There were significant differences between the two groups in ST (t=8143, P＜0.001), SD (t=7.363, P＜0.001), LSM (Z=3.024, P=0.002), SSM (t=15.142, P＜0.001), and presence or absence of ascites (χ2=22.101, P＜0.001). LSM had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.646 (95% confidence interval ［CI］: 0570-0.718) in the diagnosis of EV, with a sensitivity (Se) of 83.47%, a specificity (Sp) of 47.06%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 78.9%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 54.5% at the optimal cut-off value of 13.16. SSM had an AUC of 0.951 (95% CI: 0.907-0.978) in the diagnosis of EV, with an Se of 80.99%, an Sp of 96.08%, a PPV of 98.0%, and an NPV of 68.1% at the optimal cut-off value of 38.08. SSM had a better diagnostic accuracy than LSM (Z=6.096, P＜0.001). ConclusionLSM and SSM can be used to predict the presence or absence of EV in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis. SSM has a higher accuracy than LSM and can provide accurate diagnostic information for clinical practice.

Value of liver stiffness measurement in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis degree in HBeAg-positive patients with chronic HBV infection / 临床肝胆病杂志

To investigate the value of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis degree in HBeAg-positive patients with chronic HBV infection. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 330 HBeAg-positive patients with chronic HBV infection who were hospitalized in Affiliated Hospital of Yan’an University from October 2013 to August 2018 and underwent liver biopsy, and according to liver pathological results, these patients were divided into mild liver fibrosis group (F0-F1) and significant liver fibrosis group (F2-F4). The t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to screen out the indices for the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted for these indices to evaluate their value in the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis. Results Of all 330 patients, 245 had mild liver fibrosis and 85 had significant liver fibrosis. There were significant differences between the two groups in HBV DNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, HBcAb, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and LSM (all P＜0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that HBsAg and LSM were independent risk factors for significant liver fibrosis (both P＜0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that only LSM had a diagnostic value, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.744 (95% confidence interval: 0.680-0.808). At the optimal cut-off value of 6.15 kPa, LSM had a sensitivity of 62.4%, a specificity of 76.3%, an accuracy of 72.1%, a positive predictive value of 72.5%, and a negative predictive value of 67.0% in predicting significant liver fibrosis. ConclusionLSM has a good value in predicting significant liver fibrosis in HBeAg-positive patients with chronic HBV infection.

Diagnostic value of endoscopic ultrasonography combined with liver stiffness measurement and liver histopathology for early liver cirrhosis / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective To evaluate the value of endoscopic ultrasonography( EUS) alone for early liver cirrhosis and the diagnostic efficacy of EUS combined with liver histopathology ( LH) and liver stiffness measurement ( LSM) for early liver cirrhosis. Methods Data of 226 patients with chronic liver lesions who underwent endoscopy and EUS at Tianjin Second People's Hospital were collected to assess esophageal and gastric varices. Liver fibrosis was assessed by LH and LSM was determined by Fibroscan. Models of EUS-LSM, EUS-LH, LSM-LH, ELL ( EUS, LSM and LH) were constructed to predict early liver cirrhosis. The ROC curve and AUROC were used to evaluate the efficacy of different models in the diagnosis of early liver cirrhosis. Results A total of 149 patients were diagnosed as chronic liver disease and 77 patients were diagnosed as early liver cirrhosis ( Child-Pugh A grade) by clinical evaluation. Ratio of varices found by EUS was significantly higher than that by endoscopy [ 68. 8％ ( 53/77) VS 32. 5％ ( 25/77) , P<0. 05] . The cut-off value was 8. 65 kPa by LSM to predict early liver cirrhosis. Pseudolobules were confirmed by LH in 42 ( 54. 5％) patients in the early liver cirrhosis group. The AUROC of ELL was 0. 919 ( 95％CI: 0. 875-0. 951),sensitivity=0. 792,specificity=0. 913,PPV=0. 824,NPV=0. 895,+LR=9. 08,-LR=0. 23, accuracy=0. 872, and ELL was superior to EUS ( P<0. 0001) , LSM ( P<0. 0001) , LH ( P<0. 0001) , EUS-LSM (P<0. 0001), EUS-LH (P=0. 0134) and LSM-LH (P=0. 0022) in the diagnosis of early liver cirrhosis. Conclusion EUS is superior to endoscopy in detecting the varices for early liver cirrhosis. Combination of EUS with LSM and LH can improve diagnostic efficacy for early liver cirrhosis.

Diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement for staging of liver fibrosis of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis / 解放军医学杂志

Objective: To assess the diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) for liver fibrosis of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Methods: Four hundred and seventy patients with NASH selected from January 2006 to April 2018 were enrolled in the study, and LSM was performed within 3 days before liver biopsy. Clinical parameters and the pathological features were analyzed retrospectively. Non-invasive models (APRI and FIB-4) were calculated based on their own formula. The correlations between these 3 non-invasive approaches and liver fibrosis stages were analyzed with Spearman method, the diagnostic performances were analyzed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Results: Of the 470 NASH patients, 346 were male (73.6%). The degree of hepatic fibrosis was detected by liver puncture. The number of patients with S0, S1, S2, S3, S4 were 73, 253, 96, 40, 8 cases respectively. The median value of LSM in each group was 5.4, 6.5, 8.6, 10.7, 22.9 kPa, respectively. Spearman analysis showed that LSM and APRI were positively correlated with the stages of liver fibrosis, and the correlation coefficients were 0.626 and 0.342(P<0.001). ROC analysis showed that the value of LSM for different fibrosis stages was significantly higher than APRI. The AUROC of hepatic fibrosis S1, S2, S3 and S4 in LSM was 0.784, 0.857, 0.953 and 0.986 respectively. The corresponding optimal diagnostic cut-off values were 5.6, 7.7, 8.8 and 12.3 kPa, respectively. Conclusion: The value of LSM is positively correlated with hepatic fibrosis stage of NASH and LSM is a useful reference index for diagnosing the stage of hepatic fibrosis in NASH.

Correlation between transient elastography controlled attenuation parameter and metabolic syndrome components / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between Fibroscan? data controlled attenuation parameter(CAP), liver stiffness measurement(LSM), and the risk of metabolic syndrome(MS). Methods A total of 817 subjects in this year's staffs physical checkup screening for fatty liver were recruited. Questionnaires were filled, anthropometries including neck and waist circumferences were collected, and fasting glucose, lipid profiles, insulin, adiponectin levels were measured, CAP and LSM were recorded using FibroScan? . The subjects were divided into MS and control groups. Clinical characteristic parameters were compared, and independent predictors for MS were analyzed. Results There were 231 subjects(28.3％) in the MS group and 586(71.7％) in the control group. As compared to the controls, MS group had significantly higher CAP, LSM, neck circumference, and fasting insulin levels[(277±48vs237±44)dB/m,(4.9±2.2vs4.1±1.0)kPa,(37.1±3.3vs34.1±3.0)cm,(9.3±4.7vs5.7± 2.9)μIU/ml, all P<0.01], whereas adiponectin levels were lower [(10.6 ± 8.8 vs 18.7 ± 14.9) ng/ml, P<0.01] . With the accumulation of MS components, CAP and LSM increased. When CAP and LSM were divided into quartiles, the number of MS components increased with increasing quartiles, along with proportions and odds ratios for the occurrence of MS, and CAP showed a stronger correlation with MS than LSM. Binary Logistic regression analysis revealed that CAP, age, neck circumference, adiponectin, and fasting insulin levels were independent predictors for MS. Even with no MS component, subjects with CAP≥248 dB/m had elevated body mass index, neck and waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, increased fasting insulin, triglyceride, uric acid and reduced adiponectin levels. Conclusion CAP showed a close relationship with MS. Increased CAP was associated with increased body weight, dyslipidemia, elevated uric acid, and fasting insulin, whereas reduced adiponectin even before the occurrence of MS.

Effect of ALT level on liver stiffness measurement in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level on liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis. MethodsThe patients who were diagnosed with hepatitis B cirrhosis by liver biopsy in Beijing Friendship Hospital from January 2012 to May 2015 and did not receive antiviral therapy were enrolled. Their demographic characteristics, routine blood test results, biochemical parameters, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level, alpha-fetoprotein level, LSM, abdominal ultrasound findings, and liver biopsy data were collected. LSM was compared between hepatitis B cirrhosis patients with different ALT levels. The one-way analysis of variance or rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data. Pearson correlation analysis and partial correlation analysis were performed. ResultsA total of 104 patients were recruited and divided into three groups according to their ALT levels (≤2×upper limit of normal ［ULN］, 2-5×ULN, and ≥5×ULN). There were no significant differences between the three groups in sex ratio, body mass index, HBeAg status, HBV DNA level, albumin level, and platelet count (all P＞0.05). The median values of LSM for the three groups were 15.4 kPa, 18.8 kPa, and 29.9 kPa, respectively, suggesting that LSM increased as the ALT level increased, and there was a significant difference in LSM between the three groups (χ2=10.07, P＜0.05). After adjusting for age, which was significantly different between the three groups, LSM was still found to be positively correlated with ALT level (r=0.220, 95% confidence interval: 0.101-0.468, P＜0.05). ConclusionIn patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis, LSM increased with the increasing ALT level, and the positive correlation remains after adjusting for age.

Application value of the liver stiffness measurement on complications after hepatectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To explore the application value of the liver stiffness measurement (LSM) on complications after hepatectomy.Methods The retrospective case-control study was conducted.The clinical data of 121 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who underwent hepatectomy in the Mianyang Central Hospital from January 2011 to April 2017 were collected.All 121 patients received LSM using Fibro Scan,and 81 undergoing laparoscopic liver resection (LR) and 40 undergoing open liver resection (OR) were respectively allocated into the LR and OR groups.Observation indicators:(1) comparisons of intra-and post-operative situations;(2) risk factors analysis affecting postoperative complication of HCC patients;(3) area under the curve (AUC) of LSM and postoperative complications;(4) comparisons of intra-and post-operative situations,when LSM ≤17.5 kPa;(5) comparisons of intra-and post-operative situations,when LSM ＞ 17.5 kPa;(6)comparisons of intra-and post-operative situations between patients with LSM ≤ 17.5 kPa and LSM ＞ 17.5 kPa in the LR group.Measurement data were represented as x±s,and mean comparisons between groups were done using the t test.Comparisons of count data and univariate analysis were analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher exact probability.The multivariate analysis was done using the logistic regression model,using P＜0.01 as a inclusion criteria in the univariate analysis.The critical value of postoperative complication was calculated using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).Results (1) Comparisons of intra-and post-operative situations:all the 121 patients underwent successful surgery,including 4 with conversion to open surgery in the LR group.Cases with Pringle manner were 51 in the LR group and 17 in the OR group,with a statistically significant difference (x2 =4.555,P＜0.05).Operation time,volume of intraoperative blood loss,case with intraoperative blood transfusion,Ishak score of 1-3 and 4-6 scores,postoperative complications and duration of hospital stay were respectively (248±78)minutes,(292±229)mL,14,14,67,29,(12±7)days in the LR group and (221±78)minutes,(281± 194)mL,9,9,31,10,(13±6)days in the OR group,with no statistically significant difference between groups (t =1.843,0.282,x2 =0.473,0.473,1.431,t =0.075,P＞0.05).(2) Risk factors analysis affecting postoperative complication of HCC patients:39 of 121 patients had postoperative complications.Results of univariate analysis showed that retention 15-minute rate of indocyanine green (ICG R15),LSM,volume of intraoperative blood loss and Ishak score were risk factors affecting postoperative complication of HCC patients (x2 =7.161,32.490,7.725,2.863,P＜0.l).Results of multivariate analysis showed that LSM ＞ 15.0 kPa was an independent risk factor affecting postoperative complication of HCC patients [odds ratio (OR) =6.906,95％ confidence interval (CI):2.307-20.672,P＜0.05].(3) AUC of LSM and postoperative complication:when LSM of postoperative complication ＞ 17.5 kPa,sensitivity,specificity and AUC were respectively 64.1％,85.4％ and 0.749 (95％CI:0.662-0.824,P＜0.05).(4) Comparisons of intra-and post-operative situations,when LSM ≤ 17.5 kPa:duration of hospital stay was respectively (10±5) days in the LR group and (13±7) days in the OR group,with a statistically significant difference between groups (t--2.389,P＜0.05).(5) Comparisons of intra-and post-operative situations,when LSM ＞ 17.5 kPa:operation time,volume of intraoperative blood loss,cases with postoperative complications and hepatic dysfunction were respectively (277±76)minutes,(505±232)mL,21,17 in the LR group and (212-± 109) minutes,(328±250) mL,4,2 in the OR group,with statistically significant differences between groups (t=2.060,2.057,P＜0.05).(6) Comparisons of intra-and post-operative situations between patients with LSM ≤ 17.5 kPa and LSM ＞ 17.5 kPa in the LR group:operation time,volume of intraoperative blood loss,cases with postoperative complications and hepatic dysfunction and duration of hospital stay were respectively (236±76)minutes,(197± 153)mL,8,3,(10±5)days in the LR group and (277± 76)minutes,(505±232) mL,21,17,(16±9)days in the OR group,with statistically significant differences between groups (t=0.657,3.398,x2 =36.547,36.475,t=17.414,P＜0.05).Conclusion LSM is an independent risk factor affecting postoperative compfications after hepatectomy,when LSM ＞ 17.5 kPa,LR is associated with higher incidence of postoperative complications compared with OR.

Correlation of liver stiffness measured by FibroScan with sex and age in healthy adults undergoing physical examination / 临床肝胆病杂志

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.

Use of Fibroscan for Evaluating Efficacy of Combined Therapy with FuFang BieJia RuanGan Tablet and Antiviral Drugs in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus-related Cirrhosis / 胃肠病学

Background:Fibroscan is the noninvasive method widely used to evaluate quantitatively the liver fibrosis and monitor the long-term efficacy of anti-fibrosis therapy. Aims:To study the use of Fibroscan for evaluating the efficacy of combined therapy with FuFang BieJia RuanGan tablet and antiviral drugs in patients with hepatitis B virus( HBV)-related cirrhosis. Methods:A total of 90 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis from March 2013 to September 2014 at Shanghai Ren Ji Hospital were recruited,and divided into treatment group and control group. Patients in treatment group received FuFang BieJia RuanGan tablet,and patients in control group received conventional liver-protective drugs,all the patients took nucleoside antiviral drugs at the same time. The treatment courses in both groups were 6 months. Liver stiffness measurement( LSM)was detected by Fibroscan before and after treatment. Biochemical parameters,width of portal vein and clinical symptoms were recorded. Results:After treatment,LSM was significantly decreased in both groups( P 0. 05). LSM was closely associated with Child-Pugh score both before and after treatment(r=0. 484,P<0. 01;r=0. 523,P<0. 01). Patients with Child-Pugh A had lower LSM than those with Child-Pugh B or Child-Pugh C(P<0. 01). Conclusions:FuFang BieJia RuanGan tablet combined with oral antiviral drugs can remarkably improve the liver function of cirrhotic patients and prevent progression of cirrhosis. Dynamic detection of LSM can be used for monitoring drug efficacy and disease progression in patients with cirrhosis.

Clinical Application of Transient Elastography in Liver Cirrhosis and its Complications / 胃肠病学

Liver cirrhosis is the advanced stage of various chronic liver diseases,and its complications include portal hypertension,esophageal and gastric varices,hepatocellular carcinoma,etc. Transient elastography( TE),a noninvasive method for liver stiffness measurement( LSM),has been used widely to detect liver fibrosis qualitatively and quantitatively. Recently,correlations were observed for LSM with liver cirrhosis and its complications. This article reviewed the studies focused on these correlations,as well as the clinical application of TE.

Prediction of fibrosis progression in chronic viral hepatitis

Prediction of liver fibrosis progression has a key role in the management of chronic viral hepatitis, as it will be translated into the future risk of cirrhosis and its various complications including hepatocellular carcinoma. Both hepatitis B and C viruses mainly lead to fibrogenesis induced by chronic inflammation and a continuous wound healing response. At the same time direct and indirect profibrogenic responses are also elicited by the viral infection. There are a handful of well-established risk factors for fibrosis progression including older age, male gender, alcohol use, high viral load and co-infection with other viruses. Metabolic syndrome is an evolving risk factor of fibrosis progression. The new notion of regression of advanced fibrosis or even cirrhosis is now strongly supported various clinical studies. Even liver biopsy retains its important role in the assessment of fibrosis progression, various non-invasive assessments have been adopted widely because of their non-invasiveness, which facilitates serial applications in large cohorts of subjects. Transient elastography is one of the most validated tools which has both diagnostic and prognostic role. As there is no single perfect test for liver fibrosis assessment, algorithms combining the most validated noninvasive methods should be considered as initial screening tools.

The usefulness of non-invasive liver stiffness measurements in predicting clinically significant portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients: Korean data

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) has been proposed as a non-invasive method for estimating the severity of fibrosis and the complications of cirrhosis. Measurement of the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) is the gold standard for assessing the presence of portal hypertension, but its invasiveness limits its clinical application. In this study we evaluated the relationship between LSM and HVPG, and the predictive value of LSM for clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) and severe portal hypertension in cirrhosis. METHODS: LSM was performed with transient elastography in 59 consecutive cirrhotic patients who underwent hemodynamic HVPG investigations. CSPH and severe portal hypertension were defined as HVPG > or =10 and > or =12 mmHg, respectively. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between LSM and HVPG. Diagnostic values were analyzed based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: A strong positive correlation between LSM and HVPG was observed in the overall population (r2=0.496, P or =10 mmHg) was 0.851, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for an LSM cutoff value of 21.95 kPa were 82.5%, 73.7%, 86.8%, and 66.7%, respectively. The AUROC at prediction of severe portal hypertension (HVPG > or =12 mmHg) was 0.877, and the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV at LSM cutoff value of 24.25 kPa were 82.9%, 70.8%, 80.6%, and 73.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: LSM exhibited a significant correlation with HVPG in patients with cirrhosis. LSM could be a non-invasive method for predicting CSPH and severe portal hypertension in Korean patients with liver cirrhosis.

How Many Valid Measurements Are Necessary to Assess Liver Fibrosis Using FibroScan(R) in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis? An Analysis of Subjects with at Least 10 Valid Measurements

PURPOSE: Using FibroScan(R) to obtain a reliable liver stiffness measurement (LSM) may require more than 10 valid measurements (VMs), according to the manufacturer's recommendations. However, this requirement lacks scientific evidence in support thereof. We investigated the minimal number of VMs required to assess liver fibrosis without significant loss of accuracy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) and predictors of discordance between LSM and liver biopsy (LB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2005 and December 2009, we prospectively enrolled 182 patients with CHB and 68 patients with CHC who were to undergo LB and LSM before starting antiviral treatment. Only LSMs with at least 10 VMs were considered reliable. The Batts and Ludwig scoring system was used for histologic assessment. RESULTS: The mean age and body mass index were 46.0 years and 23.4 kg/m2 in patients with CHB and 49.7 years and 23.1 kg/m2 in those with CHC, respectively. The median elasticity scores from the first 3, first 5, and all VMs taken significantly predicted fibrosis stages > or =F2 and F4 (all p0.05 by DeLong's method). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was the only predictor of discordance in fibrosis stage as estimated by the median elasticity score from the first 3 VMs and by LB in patients with CHB, whereas no significant predictor was identified in those with CHC. CONCLUSION: After comparison of patients who had more than 10 valid measurements for LSM, three VMs may be enough to assess liver fibrosis using LSM without significant loss of accuracy in patients with CHC and patients with CHB. However, ALT should be considered when interpreting LSM for patients with CHB.

Clinical applications of transient elastography

Chronic liver disease represents a major public health problem, accounting for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. As prognosis and management depend mainly on the amount and progression of liver fibrosis, accurate quantification of liver fibrosis is essential for therapeutic decision-making and follow-up of chronic liver diseases. Even though liver biopsy is the gold standard for evaluation of liver fibrosis, non-invasive methods that could substitute for invasive procedures have been investigated during past decades. Transient elastography (TE, FibroScan(R)) is a novel non-invasive method for assessment of liver fibrosis with chronic liver disease. TE can be performed in the outpatient clinic with immediate results and excellent reproducibility. Its diagnostic accuracy for assessment of liver fibrosis has been demonstrated in patients with chronic viral hepatitis; as a result, unnecessary liver biopsy could be avoided in some patients. Moreover, due to its excellent patient acceptance, TE could be used for monitoring disease progression or predicting development of liver-related complications. This review aims at discussing the usefulness of TE in clinical practice.

Clinical factors influencing liver stiffness as measured by transient elastography (Fibroscan(R)) in patients with chronic liver disease / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transient elastography as performed using the Fibroscan(R) is a useful noninvasive method for evaluating hepatic fibrosis. However, recent studies have found that liver stiffness measurement (LSM) values are inappropriately elevated in acute hepatitis or in the acute flare state of chronic hepatitis, suggesting that the LSM value obtained by the Fibroscan(R) is not a reliable marker for fibrosis. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical factors influencing the LSM value obtained using transient elastography as performed using the Fibroscan(R) in patients with chronic liver disease. METHODS: A total of 298 patients who were followed in Kungpook National University Hospital from November 2007 to May 2008 due to previously established liver cirrhosis or chronic liver disease were investigated using the Fibroscan(R), laboratory test, ultrasound, and/or abdominal computed tomography. RESULTS: The 298 patients were aged 47.8+/-12.9 years (mean+/-SD). The cut-off value for a diagnosis of liver cirrhosis was 12.5 kPa (as used in previous studies). Thirty-six patients (15%) and 202 patients (85%) with chronic liver disease without clinical manifestation of cirrhosis had LSMs of >12.5 kPa and <12.5 kPa, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that LSM values were unusually increased in patients with chronic liver disease who were older (P=0.007) or who had increased gamma gultamyltranspetidase (GGT) (P=0.022), decreased albumin (P=0.015), or increased total bilirubin (P=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that age, GGT, and albumin are clinical factors influencing LSM values. This reinforces the need to interpret LSM values in the context of a defined diagnosis, biochemical data, radiologic examination, and other clinical findings.

Usefulness of liver stiffness measurement for predicting the presence of esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bleeding from esophageal varices (EV) is a major cause of death in patients with liver cirrhosis. Endoscopic screening is recommended for diagnosing EV, but various noninvasive parameters can also be used to predict EV. The liver stiffness measurement (LSM), a noninvasive technique for estimating liver fibrosis, was recently reported to be strongly correlated with the hepatic venous pressure gradient. This study evaluated the usefulness of LSM for predicting the presence and size of EV in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: The relationships of LSM with the presence and size of EV were analyzed in 112 patients with liver cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed histologically or clinically. The presence and size of EV were assessed by endoscopy, and LSM was determined by the Fibroscan(R) technique. RESULTS: LSM was strongly correlated with the presence of EV (P<0.0001): the LSM value was 42.7+/-21.9 kPa (mean+/-standard deviation) in patients with EV (n=82) and 19.1+/-12.6 kPa in patients without EV (n=30). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.818 (95% CI, 0.732-0.904) for predicting the presence of EV, and an LSM value of 19.7 kPa was predictive of the presence of EV with a sensitivity of 87%, a specificity of 70%, a PPV of 89%, and a NPV of 66%. However, there was a weak correlation between LSM and the size of EV. CONCLUSIONS: LSM is useful for predicting the presence of EV in patients with cirrhosis but not their size.