Long term outcomes in children with trichohepatoenteric syndrome.

Trichohepatoenteric syndrome (THES) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in either TTC37 or SKIV2L, usually leading to congenital diarrhea as part of a multisystem disease. Here, we report on the natural history of the disease for the largest UK cohort of patients with THES from 1996 to 2020. We systematically reviewed the clinical records and pathological specimens of patients diagnosed with THES managed in a single tertiary pediatric gastroenterology unit. Between 1996 and 2020, 13 patients (7 female and 6 male) were diagnosed with THES either by mutation analysis or by clinical phenotype. Two patients died from complications of infection. All patients received parenteral nutrition (PN) of which six patients were weaned off PN. All patients had gastrointestinal tract inflammation on endoscopy. Almost half of the cohort were diagnosed with monogenic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by the age of 11 years, confirmed by endoscopic and histological findings. Protracted diarrhea causing intestinal failure improves with time in all patients with THES, but monogenic IBD develops in later childhood that is refractory to conventional IBD treatments. Respiratory issues contribute to significant morbidity and mortality, and good respiratory care is crucial to prevent comorbidity.

Lessons from the implementation of the Health Care Homes program.

Australia's primary health care system works well for most Australians, but 20% of people live with multimorbidity, often receiving fragmented care in a complex system. Australia's 10-year plan for primary health care recognises that person-centred care is essential to securing universal health coverage, improving health outcomes and achieving an integrated sustainable health system. The Health Care Homes trial tested a new model of person-centred care for people with chronic and complex health conditions. This model demonstrated that change can be achieved with dedicated transformational support and highlighted the importance of enablers and reform streams that are now established in the 10-year plan.

Value-based primary care in Australia: how far have we travelled?

In this article, we discuss how the value-based health care concept has matured across recent years, and consider how it can be achieved in the primary health care sector. We provide illustrations of related initiatives across the four domains of value-based health care, highlight the need for cultural transformation and reorientation of the system, and call for a national framework and agreed plan of action.

Clinically Significant Fibrosis Is Associated With Longitudinal Increases in Fibrosis-4 and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Fibrosis Scores.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is limited knowledge regarding the longitudinal utility of biomarkers of fibrosis, such as the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) fibrosis score (NFS) or the fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) score. We examined longitudinal changes in the NFS and the FIB-4 score in patients with NAFLD, with and without clinically significant fibrosis (CSF). METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 230 patients with NAFLD, collecting clinical and laboratory records to calculate NFS and FIB-4 scores at 6 monthly intervals for 5 years before hepatology assessment of fibrosis. Linear mixed models with random intercept and slope and adjusted for age at baseline were used to assess the progression of NFS and log-transformed FIB-4 scores over time in subjects with and without CSF, determined by liver stiffness measurements of 8.2 kPa or greater. RESULTS: Patients had a median of 11 (minimum, 10; maximum, 11) retrospective observations over a median time period of 5 years (minimum, 4.5 y; maximum, 5 y). Of patients with low baseline NFS and FIB-4 scores, 31.11% and 37.76%, respectively, had CSF at the time of hepatology assessment. There was a correlation between NFS and log10 FIB-4 over time (repeated measure r = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.52-0.59). The rate of increase in NFS and log10 FIB-4 was significantly higher in patients with than without CSF (both P < .001). Predicted NFS increased by 0.17 and 0.06 units per year in subjects with and without CSF, respectively. Predicted log10 FIB-4 score increased by 0.032 and 0.0003 units per year in subjects with and without CSF, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Noninvasively measured fibrosis scores increase progressively in patients with NAFLD and CSF. Further studies are needed to determine whether repeated measurements can identify patients at risk for CSF.

QUality improvement in primary care to prevent hospitalisations and improve Effectiveness and efficiency of care for people Living with coronary heart disease (QUEL): protocol for a 24-month cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, is the leading cause of death and disability globally. A large proportion of mortality occurs in people with prior CHD and effective and scalable strategies are needed to prevent associated deaths and hospitalisations. The aim of this study is to determine if a practice-level collaborative quality improvement program, focused on patients with CHD, reduces the rate of unplanned CVD hospitalisations and major adverse cardiovascular events, and increases the proportion of patients achieving risk factor targets at 24 months. METHODS: Cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of a primary care quality improvement program in 50 primary care practices (n~ 10,000 patients) with 24-month follow-up. Eligible practices will be randomised (1:1) to participate in either the intervention (collaborative quality improvement program) or control (standard care) regimens. Outcomes will be assessed based on randomised allocation, according to intention-to-treat. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with unplanned CVD hospitalisations at 2 years. Secondary outcomes are proportion of patients with major adverse cardiovascular events, proportion of patients who received prescriptions for guideline-recommended medicines, proportion of patients achieving national risk factor targets and proportion with a chronic disease management plan or review. Differences in the proportion of patients who are hospitalised (as well as binary secondary outcomes) will be analysed using log-binomial regression or robust Poisson regression, if necessary. DISCUSSION: Despite extensive research with surrogate outcomes, to the authors' knowledge, this is the first randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a data-driven collaborative quality improvement intervention on hospitalisations, CVD events and cardiovascular risk amongst patients with CHD in the primary care setting. The use of data linkage for collection of outcomes will enable evaluation of this potentially efficient strategy for improving management of risk and outcomes for people with heart disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number ACTRN12619001790134 (dated 20th December 2019).

Underappreciation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by primary care clinicians: limited awareness of surrogate markers of fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common cause of incidental liver test abnormalities. General practitioners (GP) have a key role in identifying people with NAFLD at risk of significant liver disease. Recent specialist guidelines emphasise the use of fibrosis algorithms or serum biomarkers rather than routine liver tests, to assess advanced fibrosis. AIM: To evaluate primary care clinicians' current approach to diagnosis, management and referral of NAFLD. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of primary care clinicians was undertaken through a structured questionnaire about NAFLD. A convenience sample of general practice clinics and general practice conferences in Metropolitan Brisbane and regional south east Queensland was selected. RESULTS: A total of 108 primary care clinicians completed the survey (participation rate 100%). Fifty-one percent of respondents considered the prevalence of NAFLD in the general population to be ≤10%. Twenty-four percent of respondents felt that liver enzymes were sufficiently sensitive to detect underlying NAFLD. Most respondents were unsure whether the Fibrosis 4 score (62.7% unsure) or Enhanced Liver Fibrosis score (63.7% unsure) could help to identify advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. Although 47% of respondents said they would refer a patient to a Gastroenterologist/Hepatologist if they suspect the patient has NAFLD, 44.1% do not make any referrals. Of concern, 70.6% of clinicians said they were unlikely to refer a patient to Hepatology unless liver function tests are abnormal. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that many primary care clinicians underestimate the prevalence of NAFLD and under-recognise the clinical spectrum of NAFLD and how this is assessed.

Diabetic patient adherence to pathology request completion in primary care.

Objective Little research exists regarding the prevalence of patient non-adherence with completing pathology requests for chronic disease monitoring. The aims of the present study were to determine the extent to which this exists in diabetic patients and to identify possible reasons contributing to this behaviour. Methods Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited from three general practices with different demographics. Data were collected by recording demographic patient information at the time of visit. In addition, information regarding patient pathology request adherence and the reasons provided when this was not achieved were also noted. These reasons were compared with preconceptions by medical staff in each practice. Results General practitioner perceptions of poor patient adherence to pathology requests were confirmed, with rates of non-adherence up to 31% at one practice site. The primary reasons preventing completion of pathology testing included forgetfulness, time poorness, poor health literacy and, in some cases, language barriers. Conclusion A high proportion of patients do not prioritise the monitoring of their diabetes, potentially because of a lack of understanding of the importance such management has on their health. Further research should be conducted to determine the effect of the implementation of point-of-care testing on patient outcomes in such areas of low non-adherence with disease management. What is known about the topic? Little quantitative information exists regarding the adherence rate of patients to pathology request completion. Without up-to-date pathology results, a barrier is created, preventing accurate medical treatment of the patient's condition because the doctor cannot ascertain a full picture of the patient's current disease state at the time of consultation. What does this paper add? This paper quantifies the rate of non-adherence among three diabetic patient groups at different practice sites, taking into account patient and site demographics. It also confirms patient non-adherence to timely pathology request completion as a prevalent issue of concern at all practice sites recruited. In addition, it looks at reasons why this issue exists as a means of addressing the problem in the future. What are the implications for practitioners? This research may aid practitioners in addressing such issues at a local level within general practice, because reasons creating barriers to successful completion of pathology requests have been identified and potential solutions suggested.

Identifying areas of need relative to liver disease: geographic clustering within a health service district.

Background Many people with chronic liver disease (CLD) are not detected until they present to hospital with advanced disease, when opportunities for intervention are reduced and morbidity is high. In order to build capacity and liver expertise in the community, it is important to focus liver healthcare resources in high-prevalence disease areas and specific populations with an identified need. The aim of the present study was to examine the geographic location of people seen in a tertiary hospital hepatology clinic, as well as ethnic and sociodemographic characteristics of these geographic areas. Methods The geographic locations of hepatology out-patients were identified via the out-patient scheduling database and grouped into statistical area (SA) regions for demographic analysis using data compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Results During the 3-month study period, 943 individuals from 71 SA Level 3 regions attended clinic. Nine SA Level 3 regions accounted for 55% of the entire patient cohort. Geographic clustering was seen especially for people living with chronic hepatitis B virus. There was a wide spectrum of socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage in areas with high liver disease prevalence. Conclusions The geographic area from which people living with CLD travel to access liver health care is extensive. However, the greatest demand for tertiary liver disease speciality care is clustered within specific geographic areas. Outreach programs targeted to these areas may enhance liver disease-specific health service resourcing. What is known about the topic? The demand for tertiary hospital clinical services in CLD is rising. However, there is limited knowledge about the geographic areas from which people living with CLD travel to access liver services, or the ethnic, socioeconomic and education characteristics of these areas. What does this paper add? The present study demonstrates that a substantial proportion of people living with CLD and accessing tertiary hospital liver services are clustered within specific geographic areas. The most striking geographic clustering was seen for people living with chronic hepatitis B, in regions with a relatively high proportion of people born in Vietnam and China. In addition to ethnicity, the data show an apparent ecological association between liver disease and both socioeconomic and educational and/or occupational disadvantage. What are the implications for practitioners? Identifying where demand for clinical services arises is an important step for service planning and preparing for potential outreach programs to optimise community-based care. It is likely that outreach programs to engage and enhance primary care services in geographic areas from which the greatest demand for tertiary liver disease speciality care arises would yield greater relative return on investment than non-targeted outreach programs.

A controlled evaluation of social prescribing on loneliness for adults in Queensland: 8-week outcomes.

Introduction: There have been few controlled evaluations of Social Prescribing (SP), in which link workers support lonely individuals to engage with community-based social activities. This study reports early outcomes of a trial comparing General Practitioner treatment-as-usual (TAU) with TAU combined with Social Prescribing (SP) in adults experiencing loneliness in Queensland. Methods: Participants were 114 individuals who were non-randomly assigned to one of two conditions (SP, n = 63; TAU, n = 51) and assessed at baseline and 8 weeks, on primary outcomes (loneliness, well-being, health service use in past 2 months) and secondary outcomes (social anxiety, psychological distress, social trust). Results: Retention was high (79.4%) in the SP condition. Time × condition interaction effects were found for loneliness and social trust, with improvement observed only in SP participants over the 8-week period. SP participants reported significant improvement on all other outcomes with small-to-moderate effect sizes (ULS-8 loneliness, wellbeing, psychological distress, social anxiety). However, interaction effects did not reach significance. Discussion: Social prescribing effects were small to moderate at the 8-week follow up. Group-based activities are available in communities across Australia, however, further research using well-matched control samples and longer-term follow ups are required to provide robust evidence to support a wider roll out.

Process evaluation of a data-driven quality improvement program within a cluster randomised controlled trial to improve coronary heart disease management in Australian primary care.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates primary care practices' engagement with various features of a quality improvement (QI) intervention for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in four Australian states. METHODS: Twenty-seven practices participated in the QI intervention from November 2019 -November 2020. A combination of surveys, semi-structured interviews and other materials within the QUality improvement in primary care to prevent hospitalisations and improve Effectiveness and efficiency of care for people Living with heart disease (QUEL) study were used in the process evaluation. Data were summarised using descriptive statistical and thematic analyses for 26 practices. RESULTS: Sixty-four practice team members and Primary Health Networks staff provided feedback, and nine of the 63 participants participated in the interviews. Seventy-eight percent (40/54) were either general practitioners or practice managers. Although 69% of the practices self-reported improvement in their management of heart disease, engagement with the intervention varied. Forty-two percent (11/26) of the practices attended five or more learning workshops, 69% (18/26) used Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, and the median (Interquartile intervals) visits per practice to the online SharePoint site were 170 (146-252) visits. Qualitative data identified learning workshops and monthly feedback reports as the key features of the intervention. CONCLUSION: Practice engagement in a multi-featured data-driven QI intervention was common, with learning workshops and monthly feedback reports identified as the most useful features. A better understanding of these features will help influence future implementation of similar interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number ACTRN12619001790134.

The M-CHooSe pilot: the acceptability and utilisation of the nurse-led, general practice clinic co-located 'Mater CALD Healthcare Coordinator Service' for patients from multicultural backgrounds.

BACKGROUND: Patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds often have unmet healthcare coordination needs. We aimed to evaluate the acceptability, utilisation and perceived benefits of the Mater CALD Health Coordinator Service (M-CHooSe), a pilot, nurse-led, general practice co-located, healthcare coordination service for patients from CALD backgrounds. METHODS: M-CHooSe began in March 2020 at five Brisbane (Queensland) sites. Process and service user data were collected over 12months at one site. A survey evaluated primary healthcare professionals' perceived benefits of the service. Another survey of M-CHooSe nurses examined indicators of service complexity. RESULTS: In total, 206 individuals accessed M-CHooSe over the 12-month period. Commonly delivered services included health service advocacy, chart reviews and health system navigation, including addressing social determinants. M-CHooSe nurses reported frequently performing tasks such as following up with external health services and performing health and social care system coordination. M-CHooSe benefits reported by primary healthcare professionals included better patient access to external health services and improved patient understanding of their conditions and treatments. CONCLUSION: Patients were accepting of referrals to M-CHooSE. Primary healthcare professionals also reported a variety of benefits to themselves and their patients because of M-CHooSe. M-ChooSe highlights the potential of a healthcare coordination service for multicultural patients to improve healthcare equity, accessibility, and system efficiency. This project demonstrates the potential value of coordination services to increase patient access and uptake of existing health and social care services for modern Australian communities, thus improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our health system. Further investigations, including user experience, opinions and cost analyses, will be required to confirm the promising benefits of embedding M-CHooSe into usual care.

Resolution of parenteral nutrition-associated jaundice on changing from a soybean oil emulsion to a complex mixed-lipid emulsion.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Resolution of parenteral nutrition (PN)-associated jaundice has been reported in children given a reduced dose of intravenous fat using a fish oil-derived lipid emulsion. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect on PN-associated jaundice of changing from a soybean oil-derived lipid to a mixed lipid emulsion derived from soybean, coconut, olive, and fish oils without reducing the total amount of lipid given. METHODS: Retrospective cohort comparison examining serum bilirubin during 6 months in children with PN-associated jaundice who changed to SMOFlipid (n=8) or remained on Intralipid (n=9). RESULTS: At entry, both groups received most of their energy as PN (SMOFlipid 81.5%, range 65.5-100 vs Intralipid 92.2%, range 60.3-100; P=0.37). After 6 months, both tolerated increased enteral feeding but still received large proportions of their energy as PN (SMOFlipid 68.4%, range 36.6-100 vs Intralipid 50%, range 37.6-76; P=0.15). The median bilirubin at the outset was 143 µmol/L (range 71-275) in the SMOFlipid group and 91 µmol/L (range 78-176) in the Intralipid group. After 6 months, 5 of 8 children in the SMOFlipid and 2 of 9 children in the Intralipid group had total resolution of jaundice. The median bilirubin fell by 99 µmol/L in the SMOFlipid group but increased by 79 µmol/L in the Intralipid group (P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: SMOFlipid may have important protective properties for the liver and may constitute a significant advance in PN formulation. Randomised trials are needed to study the efficacy of SMOFlipid in preventing PN liver disease.

Data-driven quality improvement program to prevent hospitalisation and improve care of people living with coronary heart disease: Protocol for a process evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Practice-level quality improvement initiatives using rapidly advancing technology offers a multidimensional approach to reduce cardiovascular disease burden. For the "QUality improvement in primary care to prevent hospitalisations and improve Effectiveness and efficiency of care for people Living with heart disease" (QUEL) cluster randomised controlled trial, a 12-month quality improvement intervention was designed for primary care practices to use data and implement progressive changes using "Plan, Do, Study, Act" cycles within their practices with training in a series of interactive workshops. This protocol aims to describe the systematic methods to conduct a process evaluation of the data-driven intervention within the QUEL study. METHODS: A mixed-method approach will be used to conduct the evaluation. Quantitative data collected throughout the intervention period, via surveys and intervention materials, will be used to (1) identify the key elements of the intervention and how, for whom and in what context it was effective; (2) determine if the intervention is delivered as intended; and (3) describe practice engagement, commitment and capacity associated with various intervention components. Qualitative data, collected via semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions, will be used to gather in-depth understanding of the (1) satisfaction, utility, barriers and enablers; (2) acceptability, uptake and feasibility, and (3) effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of the intervention. CONCLUSION: Findings from the evaluation will provide new knowledge on the implementation of a complex, multi-component intervention at practice-level using their own electronic patient data to enhance secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number ACTRN12619001790134.

How do healthcare providers support people with prediabetes to eat well? An in-depth, mixed-methods case study of provider practices.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Guidelines recommend people with prediabetes receive diet and lifestyle support to avoid type 2 diabetes, yet it is unclear whether this care is provided in practice. The aim of this article is to explore the perspectives and nutrition care practices of healthcare providers (HCPs) for patients with prediabetes. METHOD: This was a mixed-methods case study of an urban practice comprising a retrospective chart review and semi-structured interviews. Charts of adult patients with prediabetes were reviewed and informed a protocol used to interview HCPs. Interviews were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Charts of 47 patients, representing 1096 consultations, were reviewed. The majority (74.5%) of patients had 'diet' noted in their chart, yet this accounted for only 8.1% of consultations. Only 19.1% of patients were referred to a dietitian. Interviews provided HCP explanations of the quantitative findings. DISCUSSION: HCPs value nutrition care, yet are limited by the healthcare system to provide comprehensive care to people with prediabetes.

Identifying inequities in an urban Latin American population: a cross-sectional study in Australian primary health care.

In Australia, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds often face inequitable health outcomes and access to health care. An important, but under-researched, population is people of Latin American descent. A cross-sectional study obtained clinical data on Latin American Spanish-speaking patients from Brisbane's south-west. Extracted data included demographic characteristics, risk factors, chronic disease and service use. A total of 382 people (60.5% female, 39.5% male), mainly from El Salvador and Chile and predominantly older people (70% over 50 years), were identified. Compared with the general Australian population, the proportion of people with dyslipidaemia, diabetes, arthritis and musculoskeletal, mental health disorders and being obese or overweight was high. There was also a higher use of the 20-40min general medicine consultation than in the general population. The proportion of patients receiving health promotion and chronic disease management activities was higher than in other reports. However, there were gaps in the provision of these services. The study shows an ageing population group with significant risk factors and an important burden of chronic disease and comorbidity. Addressing inequalities in health for culturally and linguistically diverse populations demands improvements in healthcare delivery and targeted actions based on a solid understanding of their complex health needs and their health, social and cultural circumstances.

Survey design for broad-scale, territory-based occupancy monitoring of a raptor: Ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) as a case study.

Given the uncertain population status of low-density, widely-occurring raptors, monitoring changes in abundance and distribution is critical to conserving populations. Nest-based monitoring is a common, useful approach, but the difficulty and expense of monitoring raptor nests and importance of reliable trend data to conservation requires that limited resources are allocated efficiently. Power analyses offer a helpful tool to ensure that monitoring programs have the ability to detect trends and to optimize financial resources devoted to monitoring. We evaluated alternative monitoring designs for raptors to identify appropriate survey effort to detect population trends. We used data collected from a territory-occupancy study of ferruginous hawks throughout Wyoming to guide simulations and evaluate the ability to detect trends in occupancy rates. Results suggest that greater gains in precision of trend estimation may be achieved through the addition of more sites and not more visits; statistical power was ≥80% when monitoring lasted 20 years and population declines were 20%; and probability of detection affected statistical power less than rates of population decline. Monitoring at least 150 sites for 20 years would provide reasonable estimates of trend in occupancy given certain rates of detection and occupancy, but only for population declines of 20%. Removal sampling did not result in substantial changes of any metrics used to evaluate simulations, providing little justification for employing the standard design if territory occupancy is the variable of interest. Initial rates of territory occupancy may be biased high, a problem inherent to many studies that monitor territory occupancy. We explored the effects of lower rates of initial occupancy on the ability to detect trends. Although we present data from a study of ferruginous hawks, our simulations can be applied to other raptor species with similar life history and population dynamics to provide guidance for future trend estimation of territory occupancy.

A Qualitative Study on the Usage of a Learning Management System by Allied Health Faculty.

Learning management systems (LMSs) are available to faculty in many higher education institutions; however, not all faculty members take advantage of the tools LMSs offer in facilitating their face-to-face classes. To deepen understanding of this gap, this study explored faculty's experiences in LMS usage and factors that affected faculty's use of LMS to facilitate classroom learning. For this qualitative study, data were collected through interviews with various allied health faculty (n=10), and content analysis was used to identify themes. Two types of LMS user groups were identified in the study: high LMS users, who used three or more LMS tools, and low LMS users, who used fewer tools. Data analysis for the high LMS users identified four themes: adopted andragogy, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and enhances adopted andragogy. For low LMS users, five themes were developed: no adopted andragogy, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, work enhancement, and barriers for further use. Both groups had the themes of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, but to various degrees. The emergent themes imply that high LMS users had an adopted andragogy framework from which they worked in designing their face-to-face courses, but low LMS users did not. Having an adopted andragogy appears to motivate faculty to use LMSs beyond the basic tools. The results of this qualitative study extended the technology acceptance model, an information systems theory explaining how users accept and use technology by adding a pivotal preceding construct, adopted andragogy, which is faculty embracing methods for teaching adult learners.

A Pragmatic Approach Identifies a High Rate of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease With Advanced Fibrosis in Diabetes Clinics and At-Risk Populations in Primary Care.

Noninvasive serum biomarkers (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score [NFS], fibrosis 4 score [FIB-4], or enhanced liver fibrosis [ELF] test) are recommended as first-line tools to determine the risk of advanced fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. We aimed to assess the utility of a pragmatic approach to screening for clinically significant fibrosis in primary care and diabetes clinics. We recruited 252 patients from an endocrine clinic or primary care facility. Anthropometric measurements, ELF test, ultrasound, and liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) were performed. Clinically significant fibrosis was defined as LSM ≥8.2 kPa or ELF ≥9.8. A subgroup of patients underwent liver biopsy (n = 48) or had imaging diagnostic of cirrhosis (n = 14). Patients were 57.3 ± 12.3 years old with a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome (84.5%), type 2 diabetes (82.5%), and body mass index (BMI) ≥40 kg/m2 (21.8%). LSM met quality criteria in 230 (91.3%) patients. NFS and FIB-4 combined had a high negative predictive value (90.0%) for excluding LSM ≥8.2 kPa. However, 84.1% of patients had indeterminate or high NFS or FIB-4 scores requiring further assessment. LSM ≥8.2 kPa and ELF ≥9.8 were present in 31.3% and 28.6% of patients, respectively. Following adjustment for age, BMI, sex, and presence of advanced fibrosis, older age was independently associated with ELF ≥9.8 (adjusted odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.24), whereas increasing BMI was independently associated with LSM ≥8.2 kPa (adjusted odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.30). Concordant LSM <8.2 kPa and ELF <9.8 and concordant LSM ≥8.2 kPa and ELF ≥9.8 had a high negative predictive value (91.7%) and positive predictive value (95.8%) for excluding and identifying clinically significant fibrosis, respectively. Conclusion: Simple scoring tools alone lack accuracy. LSM accuracy is influenced by severe obesity, whereas age impacts the ELF test. Further studies are required to confirm whether combining LSM and ELF may enhance accuracy and confidence in identifying clinically significant fibrosis. (Hepatology Communications 2018; 00:000-000).

Controlled attenuation parameter in NAFLD identifies risk of suboptimal glycaemic and metabolic control.

AIMS: To examine the relationship between steatosis quantified by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) values and glycaemic/metabolic control. METHODS: 230 patients, recruited from an Endocrine clinic or primary care underwent routine Hepatology assessment, with liver stiffness measurements and simultaneous CAP. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify potential predictors of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), HbA1c ≥ 7%, use of insulin, hypertriglyceridaemia and CAP ≥ 300 dB/m. RESULTS: Patients were 56.7 ±â€¯12.3 years of age with a high prevalence of MetS (83.5%), T2DM (81.3%), and BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 (18%). Median CAP score was 344 dB/m, ranging from 128 to 400 dB/m. BMI (aOR 1.140 95% CI 1.068-1.216), requirement for insulin (aOR 2.599 95% CI 1.212-5.575), and serum ALT (aOR 1.018 95% CI 1.004-1.033) were independently associated with CAP ≥ 300 dB/m. Patients with CAP interquartile range < 40 (68%) had a higher median serum ALT level (p = 0.029), greater prevalence of BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 (p = 0.020) and higher median CAP score (p < 0.001). Patients with higher CAP scores were more likely to have MetS (aOR 1.011 95% CI 1.003-1.019), HBA1c ≥ 7 (aOR 1.010 95% CI 1.003-1.016), requirement for insulin (aOR 1.007 95% CI 1.002-1.013) and hypertriglyceridemia (aOR 1.007 95% CI 1.002-1.013). CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that an elevated CAP reflects suboptimal metabolic control. In diabetic patients with NAFLD, CAP may be a useful point-of-care test to identify patients at risk of poorly controlled metabolic comorbidities or advanced diabetes.

Alcohol Consumption in Diabetic Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

AIM: To examine the association between lifetime alcohol consumption and significant liver disease in type 2 diabetic patients with NAFLD. METHODS: A cross-sectional study assessing 151 patients with NAFLD at risk of clinically significant liver disease. NAFLD fibrosis severity was classified by transient elastography; liver stiffness measurements ≥8.2 kPa defined significant fibrosis. Lifetime drinking history classified patients into nondrinkers, light drinkers (always ≤20 g/day), and moderate drinkers (any period with intake >20 g/day). RESULT: Compared with lifetime nondrinkers, light and moderate drinkers were more likely to be male (p = 0.008) and to be Caucasian (p = 0.007) and to have a history of cigarette smoking (p = 0.000), obstructive sleep apnea (p = 0.003), and self-reported depression (p = 0.003). Moderate drinkers required ≥3 hypoglycemic agents to maintain diabetic control (p = 0.041) and fibrate medication to lower blood triglyceride levels (p = 0.044). Compared to lifetime nondrinkers, light drinkers had 1.79 (95% CI: 0.67-4.82; p = 0.247) and moderate drinkers had 0.91 (95% CI: 0.27-3.10; p = 0.881) times the odds of having liver stiffness measurements ≥8.2 kPa (adjusted for age, gender, and body mass index). CONCLUSIONS: In diabetic patients with NAFLD, light or moderate lifetime alcohol consumption was not significantly associated with liver fibrosis. The impact of lifetime alcohol intake on fibrosis progression and diabetic comorbidities, in particular obstructive sleep apnea and hypertriglyceridemia, requires further investigation.