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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.
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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.
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Objective:To detect the changes of liver stiffness before and after chemotherapy in postoperative breast cancer patients using the two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) technique, and analyze its correlation with liver serum indexs, then discuss the application value of 2D-SWE technique in the quantitative diagnosis for chemotherapeutic liver injury.Methods:Sixty breast cancer patients underwent postoperative chemotherapy in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2021 to November 2021 were included. Conventional two-dimensional ultrasound, 2D-SWE and the serum tests including alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), γ-glutamyltransferase(γ-GT), alkaline phosphatase(AKP) were performed before and after chemotherapy, respectively. The medians of ElastQ Imaging stiffness (EQI meds) of the whole liver and different liver segments (S4, S5/S6, S7/S8) before and after chemotherapy were measured and compared. The EQI meds of different liver segments (S4, S5/S6, S7/S8) after chemotherapy were compared. The correlation between EQI med of the whole liver and serum indexes after chemotherapy was analyzed. Results:①Compared with before chemotherapy, the EQI meds of the whole liver and different liver segments after chemotherapy were significantly decreased ( P<0.001, respectively). ②The EQI meds among different liver segments were different after chemotherapy ( F=7.489, P=0.001). Moreover, the EQI meds of S5/S6 and S7/S8 were significantly lower than those of S4 after chemotherapy ( P=0.002, 0.001). ③The EQI med of the whole liver was negatively correlated with ALT, AST, and γ-GT ( r=-0.776, P<0.001; r=-0.656, P<0.001; r=-0.428, P=0.010), while there was no correlation between the EQI med of the whole liver and AKP ( r=-0.146, P=0.267). Conclusions:2D-SWE is expected to be a new, real-time, noninvasive and quantitative method to evaluate the changes of liver stiffness before and after chemotherapy in postoperative patients, thus provides a promising method for the early clinical diagnosis of chemotherapy-induced liver injury in breast cancer patients.
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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.
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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.
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Objective:To investigate the related factors of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in children with obesity.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 91 children with obesity who visited the Pediatric Obesity Clinic in the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University from July 2020 to January 2021. The 91 children with obesity were divided into two groups: with or without nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Age, gender, body mass index, blood 25 hydroxyvitamin D3, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, fasting insulin, control attenuation parameter and liver hardness value of in the 2 groups were recorded. Univariate analysis of the clinical data of the two groups was performed, and the clinical data with statistically significant differences between the two groups were included in binary logistic regression analysis to explore the related factors of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in children with obesity. And then the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn on the relevant factors.Results:The children with obesity received treatment at the age of 6 years 1 month to 14 years 11 months, the male to female ratio was 1.33∶1. And 13 children (14.3%) were diagnosed with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, of 46 nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, 9 were male and 4 were female. Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in gender, age, fasting insulin, control attenuation parameter and liver hardness value between the two groups (all P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that control attenuation parameter ( OR=1.022, 95% CI: 1.001-1.041) and liver hardness value ( OR=1.689, 95% CI: 1.077-2.648) were the related factors of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in children with obesity (both P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) values of control attenuation parameter and liver hardness value for predicting nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in children with obesity was 0.840 (95% CI: 0.748-0.931) and 0.794 (95% CI: 0.672-0.915), respectively. Conclusion:Control attenuation parameter and liver hardness value are correlated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in children with obesity with certain diagnostic value.
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ABSTRACT Introduction: Effective and long-term combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has decreased morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals. Despite treatment advances, HIV-infected children continue to develop noninfectious conditions, including liver fibrosis. Methods: Cross-sectional study designed to identify liver fibrosis in HIV-infected adolescents and young adults, in an outpatients clinic of Pediatric Infectious Diseases Division at Escola Paulista de Medicina/Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), diagnosed by noninvasive methods (liver elastography-FibroScan®, APRI and FIB4). Variables examined included demographics, clinical, laboratories, HIV treatment. All participants underwent FibroScan® to measure liver parenchyma elasticity. Values equal to above 7.0 kPa were interpreted as the presence of significant liver fibrosis. Two different biomarkers of liver fibrosis were employed: the AST-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and the Fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4). APRI values above 1.5 have been considered as levels of clinically significant liver fibrosis and FIB-4 values above 3.25 suggested the presence of advanced fibrosis. Results: Between August 2014 and March 2017, the study enrolled 97 patients, age 10-27 years old, fourteen of 97 subjects (14.4%) presented liver stiffness (≥7 kPa) detected by the liver elastography. No patient had APRI> 1.5. No patient had FIB4 value > 3.25. The only isolated laboratory parameter that could be significantly associated with high liver stiffness was thrombocytopenia (p= 0.022, Fisher's exact test). Conclusion: Liver stiffness was identified in 14.4% (14/97) of this cohort by liver elastography. Liver disease in HIV-infected adolescents and young adults manifests itself silently, so should be routinely investigated.
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Humans , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Young Adult , HIV Infections/complications , HIV Infections/pathology , HIV Infections/drug therapy , Liver/diagnostic imaging , Liver Cirrhosis/pathology , Liver Cirrhosis/drug therapy , Aspartate Aminotransferases , Brazil , Biomarkers , Cross-Sectional Studies , HIVABSTRACT
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=8143, 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］: 0570-0.718) 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.
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Objective: To evaluate the outcomes of generic direct-acting antiviral treatments for chronic hepatitis C in Vietnam. Methods: The medical records of 522 patients (median 45 years; Female, 25.3%) with chronic hepatitis C treated at a tertiary hospital in northern Vietnam in 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Female patients were significantly older than male patients (median 52, IQR 41-59 vs. 43 years, IQR: 39-55; P<0.001). Among 522 patients, 49.4% were infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6, followed by 1a (19.0%), 1b (13.0%), and 3 (5.9%). Coinfection with hepatitis B virus or human immunodeficiency virus was noted in 5.8% and 3.1% of patients, respectively. Patients were treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin (70.9%), sofosbuvir/pegylated-interferon + ribavirin (13.2%), daclatasvir/ sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin (12.5%), or sofosbuvir/ribavirin (3.4%), and 96.4% (n=503) completed the direct-acting antiviral treatment. No patient discontinued treatment due to adverse event(s). A sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of the treatment (SVR12) was evaluated in 62.6% of patients. Overall sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of the treatment was 98.7% regardless of HCV genotypes or direct-acting antiviral regimens. The severity of liver stiffness was significantly decreased from 10.2 to 6.3 kilopascals measured by transient elastography by the treatment (P<0.001). Among patients who completed the directacting antiviral treatment, 17.7% returned for further follow-ups after SVR12. Conclusions: In Vietnam, the current generic direct-acting antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C was effective regardless of HCV genotypes and direct-acting antiviral regimens with the attenuation of liver stiffness. It is feasible to implement direct-acting antiviral treatment to cure chronic hepatitis C patients at any liver fibrosis stages in Vietnam.
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Objective: To evaluate the outcomes of generic direct-acting antiviral treatments for chronic hepatitis C in Vietnam. Methods: The medical records of 522 patients (median 45 years; Female, 25.3%) with chronic hepatitis C treated at a tertiary hospital in northern Vietnam in 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Female patients were significantly older than male patients (median 52, IQR 41-59 vs. 43 years, IQR: 39-55; P<0.001). Among 522 patients, 49.4% were infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6, followed by 1a (19.0%), 1b (13.0%), and 3 (5.9%). Coinfection with hepatitis B virus or human immunodeficiency virus was noted in 5.8% and 3.1% of patients, respectively. Patients were treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin (70.9%), sofosbuvir/pegylated-interferon + ribavirin (13.2%), daclatasvir/ sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin (12.5%), or sofosbuvir/ribavirin (3.4%), and 96.4% (n=503) completed the direct-acting antiviral treatment. No patient discontinued treatment due to adverse event(s). A sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of the treatment (SVR12) was evaluated in 62.6% of patients. Overall sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of the treatment was 98.7% regardless of HCV genotypes or direct-acting antiviral regimens. The severity of liver stiffness was significantly decreased from 10.2 to 6.3 kilopascals measured by transient elastography by the treatment (P<0.001). Among patients who completed the directacting antiviral treatment, 17.7% returned for further follow-ups after SVR12. Conclusions: In Vietnam, the current generic direct-acting antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C was effective regardless of HCV genotypes and direct-acting antiviral regimens with the attenuation of liver stiffness. It is feasible to implement direct-acting antiviral treatment to cure chronic hepatitis C patients at any liver fibrosis stages in Vietnam.
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Background: Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common causes of chronic liver injury. The most important predictor of mortality in NAFLD is the extent of liver fibrosis. Advanced liver fibrosis is associated with overall and liver related mortality. The upcoming non-invasive imaging modality for the evaluation of liver fibrosis is transient elastography (TE) (Fibro scan®). The aim of this study is to assess hepatopathy among diabetics using TE and to correlate the degree of hepatopathy with the associated risk factors.Methods: Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were assessed for liver stiffness using TE. Liver stiffness was correlated with the associated risk factors. Authors recruited 100 patients from diabetic clinic in tertiary care teaching hospital.Results: About 55% of males and 39% of females had increased liver stiffness. 14% of males and 11% of females had severe fibrosis(F3-F4). Body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood sugar levels, and liver enzymes, had significant positive correlation with liver stiffness whereas triglyceride levels, high-density lipoprotein levels, and duration of diabetes mellitus did not correlate with liver stiffness.Conclusions: Diabetic patients have high prevalence of NAFLD and advanced fibrosis. Those with obesity and dyslipidaemia are at particularly high risk. Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with hepatopathy can be easily identified using TE scan eliminating the need for liver biopsy. The establishment of a national program for the recognition of NAFLD is essential to reduce the risk of liver disease progression.
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Objective To assess the clinical significance of transient elastography (Fibroscan) in detection of clonorchiasis, so as to provide new insights into the assessment of therapeutic efficacy of deworming. Methods The liver stiffness measurement (LSM) values were measured in parasitologically diagnosed clonorchiasis patients using FibroScan before and after deworming, and the patients’age, gender, body mass index (BMI), duration of raw fish consumption and total amount of raw fish consumption were collected for correlation analyses. Results The clonorchiasis patients’age, gender, BMI, duration of raw fish consumption and total amount of raw fish consumption had no associations with pre-treatment LSM values (r/rs = 0.189, 0.073, 0.180; 0.071, –0.098, 0.033; 0.166, 0.309, 0.172; 0.235, 0.247, 0.209; 0.164, 0.277, 0.088; all P values > 0.05). There was a significant difference in the LSM values from the seventh, eighth and ninth intercostal space prior to deworming (F = 3.259, P < 0.05), and no significant difference was detected after deworming (F = 0.851, P > 0.05). The LSM values from the seventh, eighth and ninth intercostal space were significantly lower pre-deworming than post-deworming (t = 6.724, 5.603, 2.884; all P values < 0.05). Conclusion FibroScan is feasible to assess the therapuetic efficacy of deworming in patients with clonorchiasis; however, measurement at various sites affects the LSM value.
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Objective To assess the clinical significance of transient elastography (Fibroscan) in detection of clonorchiasis, so as to provide new insights into the assessment of therapeutic efficacy of deworming. Methods The liver stiffness measurement (LSM) values were measured in parasitologically diagnosed clonorchiasis patients using FibroScan before and after deworming, and the patients’age, gender, body mass index (BMI), duration of raw fish consumption and total amount of raw fish consumption were collected for correlation analyses. Results The clonorchiasis patients’age, gender, BMI, duration of raw fish consumption and total amount of raw fish consumption had no associations with pre-treatment LSM values (r/rs = 0.189, 0.073, 0.180; 0.071, –0.098, 0.033; 0.166, 0.309, 0.172; 0.235, 0.247, 0.209; 0.164, 0.277, 0.088; all P values > 0.05). There was a significant difference in the LSM values from the seventh, eighth and ninth intercostal space prior to deworming (F = 3.259, P < 0.05), and no significant difference was detected after deworming (F = 0.851, P > 0.05). The LSM values from the seventh, eighth and ninth intercostal space were significantly lower pre-deworming than post-deworming (t = 6.724, 5.603, 2.884; all P values < 0.05). Conclusion FibroScan is feasible to assess the therapuetic efficacy of deworming in patients with clonorchiasis; however, measurement at various sites affects the LSM value.
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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.
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PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the technical success rate and reliability of measurements made using three shear wave elastography (SWE) techniques and to assess the inter-platform reproducibility of the resultant liver stiffness measurements. METHODS: This prospective study included 54 patients with liver disease. Liver stiffness (LS) measurements were obtained using 2-point SWE techniques (Virtual Touch Quantification and S-Shearwave) and 2-dimensional (2D) SWE, with transient elastography (TE) serving as the reference standard. The technical success rates and measurement reliability of the three techniques were compared. LS values measured using the three SWE techniques and TE were compared using Spearman correlation coefficients and 95% Bland-Altman limits of agreement. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to analyze the inter-platform reproducibility of LS measurements. RESULTS: The three SWE techniques and TE showed similar technical success rates (P=0.682) but demonstrated significant differences in the reliability of LS measurements (P=0.006) and mean LS measurements (P<0.001). Despite strong correlations (r=0.73-0.94) between SWE systems, various degrees of inter-platform reproducibility (ICC, 0.58-0.92) were observed for the three SWE techniques. The best agreement was observed between S-Shearwave and TE (ICC, 0.92), and the worst agreement was observed between 2D-SWE and TE (ICC, 0.58). In the Bland-Altman analysis, a tendency toward lower LS values with the three SWE techniques than with TE in patients with F3 and F4 disease was observed. CONCLUSION: Significant inter-system variability was observed in LS measurements made using the three SWE techniques. Therefore, LS values measured using different SWE techniques should not be used interchangeably for longitudinal follow-up.
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Humans , Elasticity Imaging Techniques , Follow-Up Studies , Liver Cirrhosis , Liver Diseases , Liver , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
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.
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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.
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The most significant risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the presence of cirrhosis or advanced fibrosis of the liver. Liver biopsy was traditionally considered the gold standard for assessing the liver fibrosis burden. Recently, non-invasive methods, particularly transient elastography (TE), have proven effective at measuring fibrosis and determining cirrhosis. Clinical application of TE ranges from measuring fibrosis to predicting long-term prognosis and treatment response. Here, we focus on recent studies on the prognostic value of TE for predicting HCC.
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Biopsy , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Elasticity Imaging Techniques , Fibrosis , Liver Cirrhosis , Liver , Prognosis , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION@#Despite the widespread use of transient elastography for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis, the optimal cut-off liver stiffness measurement (LSM) values remain unclear. This study aimed to validate the optimal cut-off LSM values for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).@*METHODS@#Prospective multicentre data of CLD patients who underwent paired liver biopsy and LSM was analysed to determine the optimal cut-off LSM values for predicting significant fibrosis (METAVIR F ≥ 2) and cirrhosis (METAVIR F4). A high-quality cohort was selected by excluding those with failed LSM and invalid LSM readings.@*RESULTS@#Of the 481 patients recruited, 322 fulfilled the pre-defined quality criteria. CLD aetiology was chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in 49%, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in 16% and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in 12%. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for LSM was 0.775 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.724-0.826) for significant fibrosis and 0.810 (95% CI 0.738-0.882) for cirrhosis. Optimal cut-off LSM values were 9 kPa for significant fibrosis and 13 kPa for cirrhosis in the general cohort. Optimal cut-off LSM values were 9 kPa for significant fibrosis and 12 kPa for cirrhosis for both CHB and CHC, while the corresponding values for NASH were 11 kPa and 15 kPa.@*CONCLUSION@#Optimal cut-off LSM values should be selected based on disease aetiology. In Singapore, the optimal cut-off LSM values for CHB and CHC are 9 kPa for significant fibrosis and 12 kPa for cirrhosis. Optimal cut-off values for NASH require further validation.
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OBJECTIVE: To assess segmental liver stiffness (LS) with MRI before and after endovascular intervention in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients (13 males and 10 females; mean age, 42.6 ± 12.6 years; age range, 31–56 years) with BCS as a primary liver disease were recruited for this study. Two consecutive magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) examinations were performed before the endovascular treatment. Fifteen patients who underwent endovascular intervention treatment also had follow-up MRE scans within three days after the procedure. LS was measured in three liver segments: the right posterior, right anterior, and left medial segments. Inter-reader and inter-exam repeatability were analyzed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman analysis. Segmental LS and clinical characteristics before and after the intervention were also compared. RESULTS: Within three days of the endovascular intervention, all three segmental LS values decreased: LS of the right posterior segment = 7.23 ± 0.88 kPa (before) vs. 4.94 ± 0.84 kPa (after), LS of the right anterior segment = 7.30 ± 1.06 kPa (before) vs. 4.77 ± 0.85 kPa (after), and LS of the left medial segment = 7.22 ± 0.87 kPa (before) vs. 4.87 ± 0.72 kPa (after) (all p = 0.001). There was a significant correlation between LS changes and venous pressure gradient changes before and after treatments (r = 0.651, p = 0.009). The clinical manifestations of all 15 patients significantly improved after therapy. The MRE repeatability was excellent, with insignificant variations (inter-reader, ICC = 0.839–0.943: inter-examination, ICC = 0.765–0.869). Bland-Altman analysis confirmed excellent agreement (limits of agreement, 13.4–19.4%). CONCLUSION: Segmental LS measured by MRE is a promising repeatable quantitative biomarker for monitoring the treatment response to minimally invasive endovascular intervention in patients with BCS.