Diagnostic Accuracy Of Transient Elastography Research Articles

Diagnostic Accuracy of Transient Elastography for Staging Liver Fibrosis in Autoimmune Liver Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The assessment of liver fibrosis is crucial for managing autoimmune liver diseases such as primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). However, data on the efficacy of noninvasive tests (NITs) for these diseases are limited. This meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) for staging fibrosis in patients with autoimmune liver disease. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases to assess the diagnostic accuracy of VCTE against histology as the reference standard in adult patients with autoimmune liver disease. The summary area under the curve (sAUC) and diagnostic odds ratio were calculated for significant fibrosis (SF), advanced fibrosis (AF), and cirrhosis, defined as METAVIR stages F≥2, F≥3, and F=4, respectively, according to liver biopsy. Fourteen articles were included, comprising 559 PBC patients from six studies, 388 AIH patients from five studies, and 151 PSC patients from three studies. VCTE demonstrated good performance for fibrosis staging in PBC, AIH, and PSC. In PBC, sAUCs of VCTE were 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.80-0.94), 0.89 (0.85-0.94), and 0.99 (0.96-1.00) for staging SF, AF, and cirrhosis, respectively. In AIH, the sAUCs were 0.88 (0.84-0.92), 0.88 (0.83-0.93), and 0.92 (0.88-0.96), respectively, while in PSC, they were 0.88 (0.82-0.95), 0.95 (0.90-1.00), and 0.92 (0.84-0.99), respectively. The cutoff values for AF were 7.5-17.9 kPa in PBC, 8.18-12.1 kPa in AIH, and 9.6 kPa in PSC. VCTE shows high diagnostic accuracy for staging liver fibrosis in patients with autoimmune liver diseases such as PBC, AIH, and PSC. This non-invasive and reliable method serves as a valuable tool for the evaluation and monitoring of fibrosis in these lifelong diseases.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Transient Elastography in Hepatosteatosis in Youth With Obesity.

Steatotic liver disease is common but overlooked in childhood obesity; diagnostic methods are invasive or expensive. We sought to determine the diagnostic accuracy of vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in adolescents with obesity and high risk for hepatosteatosis. Baseline data in 3 clinical trials enrolling adolescents with obesity were included (NCT03919929, NCT03717935, NCT04342390). Liver fat was assessed using MRI fat fraction and VCTE-based controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). Hepatosteatosis was defined as MRI fat fraction ≥5.0%. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) for CAP against MRI was calculated, and optimal CAP using the Youden index for hepatosteatosis diagnosis was determined. Data from 82 adolescents (age 15.6 ± 1.4 years, body mass index 36.5 ± 5.9 kg/m2, 81% female) were included. Fifty youth had hepatosteatosis by MRI (fat fraction 9.3% ; 95% CI 6.7, 14.0), and 32 participants did not have hepatosteatosis (fat fraction 3.1%; 95% CI 2.2, 3.9; P < .001). The hepatosteatosis group had higher mean CAP compared with no hepatosteatosis (293 dB/m; 95% CI 267, 325 vs 267 dB/m; 95% CI 248, 282; P = .0120). A CAP of 281 dB/m had the highest sensitivity (60%) and specificity (74%) with AUROC of 0.649 (95% CI 0.51-0.79; P = .04) in the entire cohort. In a subset of participants with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a CAP of 306 dB/m had the highest sensitivity (78%) and specificity (52%) and AUROC of 0.678 (95% CI 0.45-0.90; P = .108). CAP of 281 dB/m has modest diagnostic performance for hepatosteatosis compared with MRI in youth with significant obesity. A higher CAP in youth with PCOS suggests that comorbidities might affect optimal CAP in hepatosteatosis diagnosis.

Estimation of liver fibrosis using elastography in cholestatic diseases: systematic review and meta-analysis.

staging fibrosis extent in liver disease is highly relevant for appropriate management. Liver biopsy remains the reference standard for assessment, but noninvasive methods such as elastography are becoming increasingly accurate and relevant. However, evidence regarding elastography in cholestatic diseases is lower than in other etiologies. we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science for publications on the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography and sonoelastography in cholestatic diseases (PBC and PSC) using biopsy as the reference standard. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the results was then carried out. a total of 13 studies were included. Using transient elastography in PBC sensitivity and specificity were estimated to be 0.76 and 0.93; 0.88 and 0.9; and 0.91 and 0.95 for ≥ F2, ≥ F3 and = F4, respectively. For sonoelastography in PBC sensitivity and specificity estimates were 0.79 and 0.82; 0.95 and 0.86; and 0.94 and 0.85 for ≥ F2, ≥ F3 y = F4, respectively. In PSC, transient elastography had a sensivity and specificity of 0.76 and 0.88; 0.91 and 0.86; and 0.71 and 0.93 for ≥ F2, ≥ F3 and = F4, respectively. elastography has adequate diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of fibrosis stages in cholestatic liver diseases.

Diagnostic Performance of Transient Elastography Versus Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography for Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Viral Hepatitis: Direct Comparison and a Meta-Analysis.

Objective This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of transient elastography (TE) and two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for staging liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH). Methods Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched (-01/08/2021) for studies comparing TE with 2D-SWE in patients with CVH. Other etiologies of chronic liver disease (CLD) and articles not published in SCI journals were excluded. The bivariate random-effects model was used to pool the performance of the TE and 2D-SWE. Results Eight articles with a total of 1301 CVH patients were included. The prevalence of significant fibrosis (fibrosis stage ≥ 2), advanced fibrosis (fibrosis stage ≥ 3), and cirrhosis was 50.8%, 44.8%, and 34.7%, respectively. 2D-SWE expressed higher overall accuracy than TE in detecting significant fibrosis (0.93 vs. 0.85, P = 0.04). No significant difference among the overall diagnostic accuracy of TE and 2D-SWE in staging advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis was found. Conclusion TE and 2D-SWE express good to excellent diagnostic accuracies to stage fibrosis in CVH patients. 2D-SWE compares favorably with TE especially for predicting significant fibrosis.

Diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography in diagnosing clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with chronic liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Liver stiffness measurement using transient elastography (TE-LSM) is a promising noninvasive alternative to hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) for diagnosing clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). However, previous studies have yielded conflicting results. We evaluated the correlation between TE-LSM and HVPG and the performance of TE-LSM in diagnosing CSPH (HVPG ≥ 10mmHg). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching PubMed and Scopus databases for relevant literature evaluating the clinical usefulness of TE for diagnosing CSPH in patients with chronic liver disease. Twenty-six studies (4337 patients with valid TE and HVPG) met our inclusion criteria. The median correlation coefficient of TE with HVPG was 0.70 (range 0.36-0.86). The weighted mean of optimal cut-off of liver stiffness value for diagnosing CSPH was 22.8kPa (95% CI 22.7-23.0kPa). The summary sensitivity and specificity were 79% (95% CI 74-84%) and 88% (95% CI 84-91%), respectively. The area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curve was 0.91 (95% CI 0.88-0.93) according to the bivariate model. One limitation of the study was significant heterogeneity in the results of summary sensitivity and specificity (I2 83 and 74%, respectively). The heterogeneity could be explained by the variable liver stiffness cut-offs used in studies. The meta-regression plot revealed that as the optimal cut-off increased, the sensitivity decreased, the specificity increased, and vice versa. Liver stiffness measurement using TE correlates well with HVPG, and a liver stiffness cut-off value of 22.8kPa shows a high accuracy for diagnosing CSPH. Thus, use of TE should be integrated into clinical practice for noninvasive diagnosis of CSPH.

The Utility and Diagnostic Accuracy of Transient Elastography in Adults with Morbid Obesity: A Prospective Study

Patients with morbid obesity are at high risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) complicated by liver fibrosis. The clinical utility of transient elastography (TE) by Fibroscan in patients with morbid obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m2) is not well-defined. We examined the diagnostic accuracy of Fibroscan in predicting significant liver fibrosis (fibrosis stage ≥2) in morbidly obese patients (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2). Patients scheduled for bariatric surgery were prospectively enrolled. Intraoperative liver biopsy, liver-stiffness measurement (LSM) by Fibroscan (XL probe), and biochemical evaluation were all performed on the same day. The endpoint was significant liver fibrosis defined as fibrosis stage ≥2 based on the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network. The optimal LSM cutoff value for detecting significant fibrosis was determined by using the Youden Index method. Routine clinical, laboratory, and elastography data were analyzed by stepwise logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of significant liver fibrosis and build a predictive model. An optimal cutoff point of the new model’s regression formula for predicting significant fibrosis was determined by using the Youden index method. One hundred sixty-seven patients (mean age, 46.4 years) were included, of whom 83.2% were female. Histological assessment revealed the prevalence of steatohepatitis and significant fibrosis of 40.7% and 11.4%, respectively. The median LSM was found to be significantly higher in the significant fibrosis group compared to those in the no or non-significant fibrosis group (18.2 vs. 7.7 kPa, respectively; p = 0.0004). The optimal LSM cutoff for predicting significant fibrosis was 12.8 kPa, with an accuracy of 71.3%, sensitivity of 73.7%, specificity of 70.9%, positive predictive value of 24.6%, negative predictive value of 95.5%, and ROC area of 0.723 (95% CI: 0.62–0.83). Logistic regression analysis identified three independent predictors of significant fibrosis: LSM, hemoglobin A1c, and alkaline phosphatase. A risk score was developed by using these three variables. At an optimal cutoff value of the regression formula, the risk score had an accuracy of 79.6% for predicting significant fibrosis, sensitivity of 89.5%, specificity of 78.4%, positive predictive value of 34.7%, negative predictive value of 98.3%, and ROC area of 0.855 (95% CI: 0.76–0.95). Fibroscan utility in predicting significant liver fibrosis in morbidly obese subjects is limited with accuracy of 71.3%. A model incorporating hemoglobin A1c and alkaline phosphatase with LSM improves accuracy in detecting significant fibrosis in this patient population.

Elastography is unable to exclude cirrhosis after sustained virological response in HCV-infected patients with advanced chronic liver disease.

Liver fibrosis and transient elastography (TE) correlation in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) after the sustained virological response (SVR) is unknown. To evaluate TE accuracy at identifying cirrhosis 3years after HCV-eradication. Prospective, multi-centric study including HCV-cACLD patients before direct-acting antivirals (DAA). Diagnostic accuracy of TE (area under ROC, AUROC) to identify cirrhosis 3years after SVR was evaluated. Among 746 HCV-infected patients (95.4% with TE ≥10kPa), 76 (10.2%) underwent a liver biopsy 3years after SVR. Before treatment, 46 (63%) showed a TE>15kPa. The TE before DAA was the best variable for predicting cirrhosis (METAVIR, F4) after SVR (AUROC=0.79). Liver function parameters, serological non-invasive tests (APRI and FIB-4), and TE values improved after SVR. However, liver biopsy 3years after HCV elimination (median time=38.4months) showed cirrhosis in 41 (53.9%). Multivariate analysis (OR (95% CI), P) showed that HCV-genotype 3 (20.81 (2.12-201.47), .009), and TE before treatment (1.21 (1.09-1.34), <.001) were the only variables associated with cirrhosis after SVR. However, the accuracy of TE after SVR was poor (AUROC=0.75) and 6 (27.3%) out of 22 patients with a TE <8kPa had cirrhosis. Similar results were found with APRI and FIB-4 scores. Cirrhosis is present, 3years after SVR, in more than half of HCV-cACLD patients even with the normalisation of liver function parameters, serological non-invasive tests and TE values. The low diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive methods after SVR reinforces the need for long-term surveillance.

Assessment of liver fibrosis by transient elastography in young children with chronic hepatitis B\xa0virus infection

BackgroundThis study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography (TE) and biopsy for the detection of liver fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).MethodsThis single-center prospective study included 157 CHB children aged 0–6 years. All patients underwent liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by TE and liver biopsy, separated by an interval of less than 1 week.ResultsThe LSM, aspartate aminotransferase-platelet ratio index (APRI), and fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) were positively correlated with activity grade and fibrosis stage in CHB children. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of LSM for identifying significant (F ≥ 2) and advanced (F ≥ 3) fibrosis were 0.732 and 0.941, respectively. The cut-off values, specificity, and sensitivity for significant fibrosis were 5.6 kPa, 75.7%, and 67.4%, respectively; the corresponding values for advanced fibrosis were 6.9 kPa, 91.5%, and 81.3%, respectively. Compared to LSM, the overall diagnostic performances of APRI and FIB-4 for significant and advanced fibrosis were suboptimal, with low AUCs and sensitivity. Since LSM, platelet, and Log10 (hepatitis B surface antigen) were independent factors associated with the fibrosis stage (F < 2 and F ≥ 2), they were used to formulate the “LPS” index for the prediction of F ≥ 2. The AUC of LPS (for F ≥ 2) was higher than that of LSM (0.792 vs. 0.732, p < 0.05), and had an improved sensitivity (76.6% vs. 67.4%).ConclusionsTE is a promising technology for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis in CHB children aged 0–6 years.

Transient Elastography for Significant Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis in Chronic Hepatitis B: A Meta-Analysis.

Background The hepatitis B virus infection is a global health issue and the stage of liver fibrosis affects the prognosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We performed the meta-analysis describing diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography (TE) for predicting CHB-related fibrosis. Methods We performed an adequate literature search to identify studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of TE in CHB patients using biopsy as reference standard. Hierarchical summary receiver-operating curves model and the bivariate mixed-effects binary regression model were applied to generate summary receiver-operating characteristic curves and pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity. Results The area under the summary receiver-operating curve for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis was 0.86 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83–0.89) and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.90–0.94), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio of TE for significant fibrosis were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.73–0.81, p < 0.01; I2 = 85.59%), 0.81 (95% CI: 0.77–0.84, p < 0.01; I2 = 88.20%), and 14.44 (95% CI: 10.80–19.31, p < 0.01; I2 = 100%) and for cirrhosis were 0.84 (95% CI: 0.80–0.88, p < 0.01; I2 = 76.67%), 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84–0.90, p < 0.01; I2 = 90.89%), and 36.63 (95% CI: 25.38–52.87, p < 0.01; I2 = 100%), respectively. The optimal cut-off values of TE were 7.25 kPa for diagnosing significant fibrosis and 12.4 kPa for diagnosing cirrhosis, respectively. Conclusion TE is of great value in the detection of patients with CHB-related cirrhosis but has a suboptimal accuracy in the detection of significant fibrosis.

Serum S100 calcium binding protein A4 improves the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography for assessing liver fibrosis in hepatitis B

The diagnostic performance of Fibroscan might be improved when combined with other serum fibrosis related markers. Previous study has demonstrated that S100A4 expression is associated with liver fibrosis in humans with hepatitis. This study aimed to clarify diagnostic accuracy of serum S100A4 levels for significant liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and develop a combined algorithm of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and S100A4 to predict significant liver fibrosis in CHB. One hundred and seventy-five CHB patients who had performed liver biopsy were consecutively included. We evaluated serum S100A4 levels, LSM values and other clinically-approved fibrosis scores. Serum S100A4 level was higher in CHB patients with significant fibrosis, compared to those without [199.58 (33.31-1971.96) vs. 107.15 (2.10-1038.94), P<0.001]. Using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, the area under the curves (AUC), sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of S100A4 were found to be 0.749, 62.7%, 75.9% and 0.70 for significant fibrosis (≥Stage 2), respectively. Although not superior to LSM, these results were better than the fibrosis index based on the 4 factor (FIB-4) and the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) for significant fibrosis detection. An algorithm consisting of S100A4 and LSM was derived. The AUC, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of model based on serum S100A4 level and LSM were 0.866, 86.6%, 77.8% and 0.79 for significant fibrosis detection, superior to those based on LSM alone (0.834, 76.1%, 80.7% and 0.76, P=0.041). Serum S100A4 level was identified as a fibrosis marker of liver fibrosis in patients with CHB. Combining serum S100A4 with LSM improved the accuracy of transient elastography for hepatitis B significant fibrosis detection.

Correlation of transient elastography with hepatic venous pressure gradient in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension: A study of 326 patients from India.

AIMTo study the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography (TE) for detecting clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) in Indian patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.METHODSThis retrospective study was conducted at the Institute of Liver, Gastroenterology, and Pancreatico-Biliary Sciences, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, on consecutive patients with cirrhosis greater than 15 years of age who underwent hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) and TE from July 2011 to May 2016. Correlation between HVPG and TE was analyzed using the Spearman’s correlation test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were prepared for determining the utility of TE in predicting various stages of portal hypertension. The best cut-off value of TE for the diagnosis of CSPH was obtained using the Youden index.RESULTSThe study included 326 patients [median age 52 (range 16-90) years; 81% males]. The most common etiology of cirrhosis was cryptogenic (45%) followed by alcohol (34%). The median HVPG was 16.0 (range 1.5 to 30.5) mmHg. Eighty-five percent of patients had CSPH. A significant positive correlation was noted between TE and HVPG (rho 0.361, P < 0.001). The area under ROC curve for TE in predicting CSPH was 0.740 (95%CI: 0.662-0.818) (P < 0.01). A cut-off value of TE of 21.6 kPa best predicted CSPH with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 93%.CONCLUSIONTE has a fair positive correlation with HVPG; thus, TE can be used as a non-invasive modality to assess the degree of portal hypertension. A cut-off TE value of 21.6 kPa identifies CSPH with a PPV of 93%.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Transient Elastography for Detecting Liver Fibrosis After Liver Trannsplantation: A Specific Cut-Off Value Is Really Needed?

Liver transplant recipients often perform liver biopsy (LB), specially in the context of potentially recurring diseases, such as hepatitis C infection. However, the LB has risks of complications, despite being the gold standard. Transient elastography (TE) is a noninvasive method comparable to the LB to evaluate liver fibrosis in various settings, but its accuracy among transplant recipients is not fully understood. To determine the accuracy of TE in liver transplant recipients compared with LB to successfully predict liver fibrosis. Patients who underwent liver transplantation at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein from 2010 to 2012 and presented with LB indication were also subjected to TE at the time of LB. The medium value of ten successful measurements was kept as a representative of the liver stiffness. The definition of cut-off points was made to ensure specificity of ≥90% for all fibrosis stages (F0-F4). LB was performed in 267 patients. TE was not analyzed in only 8 (3%) due to an elevated body mass index. The optimal liver stiffness cut-off value and diagnostic performance were 8.1kPa for F≥1, 12.3kPa for F≥2, 15.1 for F≥3, and 16.7 for F=4 for all patients and were 8.1kPa for F≥1, 12.3kPa for F≥2, 16.5 for F≥3, and 17.6 for F=4 for patients with hepatitis C. TE demonstrated good performance in defining cut-off points for fibrosis on liver histology observed in transplant recipients. The TE can be considered an alternative to LB in post-liver transplantation.

Use of transient elastography in patients with HIV-HCV coinfection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Patients with HIV-hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection progress towards liver fibrosis and cirrhosis more rapidly compared with HCV mono-infected individuals. This necessitates an accurate assessment of liver stiffness with transient elastography to guide treatment. Searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases were performed through January 2016 to assess the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography for liver stiffness in the HIV-HCV population. Included studies were analyzed according to the Cochrane DTA Working Group methodology. Bivariate and hierarchical models were used to compute pooled sensitivity and specificity. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were also determined. A Fagan nomogram was constructed. Meta-regression analysis was performed with assessment of publication bias using Deeks' funnel plot asymmetry testing. A total of six studies (n = 756) met the inclusion criteria. The diagnostic accuracy of elastography for the diagnosis of moderate (≥F2) fibrosis was 88% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-0.90). The pooled sensitivity and specificity of moderate fibrosis was 97% (95% CI, 0.82-0.91) and 64% (95% CI, 0.45-0.79), respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of elastography for the assessment of cirrhosis was 94% (95% CI, 0.91-0.95). The pooled sensitivity and specificity for cirrhosis was 90% (95% CI, 0.74-0.97) and 87% (95% CI, 0.80-0.92), respectively. Meta-regression analysis demonstrated that CD4 cell count did not impact diagnostic accuracy of elastography. Transient elastography is a noninvasive imaging modality with excellent ability to assess for cirrhosis in patients with HIV-HCV coinfection.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography for staging of fibrosis in people with alcoholic liver disease.

The progression of hepatic fibrosis into cirrhosis is a main prognostic factor for survival in people with alcoholic liver disease. The range of cut-off values characterising the stage of hepatic fibrosis seems to be dependent on the aetiology of the liver disease. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography (the index test) for diagnosis of fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease when compared with liver biopsy (the reference standard), using the METAVIR scoring system. To establish the optimal cut-off values for the hepatic fibrosis stages. We followed Cochrane Methodology for diagnostic test accuracy reviews. We identified 14 studies. Among the study participants with alcoholic liver disease, 834 provided numerical data for analysis (August 2014). Only half of the studies were monoaetiology studies. We used the bivariate model and estimated the summary sensitivities and summary specificities. Hence, we calculated the summary likelihood ratios (LRs) to rule in or rule out hepatic fibrosis. We investigated pre-defined sources of heterogeneity. Severe fibrosis (F3 or worse): summary (95% CI) sensitivity 0.92(0.89-0.96) and specificity 0.70(0.61-0.79); LR+ 3.1(2.1-4.1), LR- 0.11(95% CI 0.06-0.16). Cirrhosis (F4): summary (95% CI) sensitivity of 0.95(0.87-0.98) and specificity 0.71(0.56-0.82); LR+ 3.3(2.1-5.0); LR- 0.07(0.03-0.19). Transient elastography may be used as a diagnostic method to exclude cirrhosis or severe fibrosis when the test is negative. Cut-off values of around 12.5 kPa for cirrhosis may be used in clinical practice, but caution is needed, as the values reported in the review are not yet prospectively validated.

A Beginning or the End? A Meta-analysis to Assess the Diagnostic Accuracy of Transient Elastography for the Prediction of Esophageal Varices.

Background/Aims:To assess the accuracy of transient elastography (TE) in the prediction of esophageal varices (EV).Materials and Methods:The literature search was conducted by using PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CENTRAL on The Cochrane Library without time or language restrictions. Terms used were “FibroScan,” “transient elastography,” “stiffness,” and “esophageal varices.” The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and other parameters were obtained using a bivariate mixed-effects regression model.Result:Twenty studies (2530 patients) were identified for inclusion. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79–0.87), 0.68 (95% CI, 0.61–0.73), 2.58 (95% CI, 2.15–3.10), 0.24 (95% CI, 0.19–0.32), and 10.60 (95%CI, 7.20–15.62), respectively. The summary area under receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curves was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.79–0.86). Especially, for hepatitis C patients, the diagnostic performance of TE for detecting the presence of EV was similar to all other patients with a sensitivity of 0.83 and a specificity of 0.63, but without heterogeneity (I2 = 0.00). For the prediction of large esophageal varices in patients with viral liver cirrhosis, the pooled sensitivity and specificity of TE were 0.82 (95% CI 0.74–0.89) and 0.77 (95% CI 0.65-0.85), respectively, without significant heterogeneity (I2 = 0.00).Conclusion:Transient elastography has good sensitivity and moderate specificity. TE can be used as an effective noninvasive screening tool for the prediction of esophageal varices, especially in hepatitis C patients, and for the prediction of large esophageal varices in patients with viral liver cirrhosis.

Evaluation of large esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients by transient elastography: a meta-analysis.

Transient elastography (TE) has been shown to be a valuable tool for the prediction of large esophageal varices. However, the conclusions have not been always consistent throughout the different studies. Therefore, we performed a further meta-analysis in order to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography for the prediction of large esophageal varices. We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CENTRAL in The Cochrane Library without time restriction. The strategy we used was "(fibroscan OR transient elastography OR stiffness) AND esophageal varices". Accuracy measures such as pooled sensitivity, specificity, among others, were calculated using Meta-DiSc statistical software. Twenty studies (2,994 patients) were included in our meta-analysis. The values of pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios and diagnostic odds ratio were as follows: 0.81 (95% CI, 0.79-0.84), 0.71 (95% CI, 0.69-0.73), 2.63 (95% CI, 2.15-3.23), 0.27 (95% CI, 0.22-0.34) and 10.30 (95% CI, 7.33-14.47). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.83. The Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.246 with a p-value of 0.296, indicating the absence of any significant threshold effects. In our subgroup analysis, the heterogeneity could be partially explained by the geographical origin of the study or etiology; or it could be partially explained blindingly, through the appropriate interval and cut-off value of the liver stiffness (LS). Transient elastography could be used as a valuable non-invasive screening tool for the prediction of large esophageal varices. However, since LS cut-off values vary throughout the different studies and significant heterogeneity also exists among them, we need more reasonable approaches or flow diagram in order to improve the operability of this technology.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography for the staging of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Transient elastography is a non-invasive method for staging liver fibrosis. The meta-analysis using the hierarchical models to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography for the staging of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B was rarely reported. A meta-analysis using the hierarchical models was performed to assess transient elastography for diagnosing and stage liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Electronic databases were searched and studies were identified to assess the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography in CHB patients for staging fibrosis F ≥ 2, F ≥ 3 and F = 4 with liver biopsy as a reference standard. The hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve and the bivariate models were performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography, and meta-regression analyses were performed to explore the heterogeneity. The quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool was used to assess the quality of studies. Twenty-seven studies with a total of 4386 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The summary sensitivity of transient elastography for staging fibrosis F ≥ 2, F ≥ 3 and F = 4 was 0.806 (95% CI, 0.756-0.847), 0.819 (95% CI, 0.748-0.874) and 0.863 (95% CI, 0.818-0.898), respectively, and the summary specificity was 0.824 (95% CI, 0.761-0.873), 0.866 (95% CI, 0.824-0.899) and 0.875 (95% CI, 0.840-0.903), respectively. The corresponding area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.85-0.91), 0.91 (95% CI, 0.88-0.93) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.91-0.95), respectively. Meta-regression showed that patient age contributed to heterogeneity. Transient elastography performs well to diagnose liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B, which may reduce the use of liver biopsy.

The role of Fibroscan in predicting the presence of varices in patients with cirrhosis.

Transient elastography is a relatively new, noninvasive method of measuring liver stiffness. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography and other noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of esophageal varices (EV) in patients with cirrhosis. This cross-sectional study graded EV according to size in 145 consecutive patients with cirrhosis who underwent endoscopy, Fibroscan, and other noninvasive diagnostic methods. The accuracy of these diagnostic methods in diagnosing EV was evaluated on the basis of area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves. Elastography was successful in 123 patients. Of these, 54.5% had hepatitis C and 10.6% had hepatitis B. EV were absent in 39.8%, small EV was present in 24.4%, and large EV was present in 35.8% of patients. Fibroscan, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, and international normalized ratio showed low accuracy in diagnosing EV in non-viral-related cirrhosis patients (AUROCs 0.66, 0.68, and 0.67, respectively). Fibroscan and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index were more accurate in measuring EV with a viral etiology (AUROCs 0.704 and 0.703, respectively). A cutoff value of 16.9 kPa was 83.8% sensitive in diagnosing EV in non-viral-cirrhotic patients, whereas a cutoff value of 19.9 kPa was 83.4% sensitive in diagnosing EV in patients with viral hepatitis. Fibroscan was moderately accurate in diagnosing grade I EV and less accurate in diagnosing grades II and III EV in all cirrhotic patients, irrespective of the underlying etiology. Fibroscan might be useful in predicting the presence of EV in patients with cirrhosis with a viral etiology. However, endoscopy remains the gold standard for EV screening.

Cytokeratin 18-Aspartate396 apoptotic fragment for fibrosis detection in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis

BackgroundThe combination of non-invasive markers for the detection of fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases is still a matter of debate. AimsTo test the performance of cytokeratin18-Aspartate396 alone or in combination with transient elastography as a marker of fibrosis, compared to liver biopsy as gold standard. MethodsIn 259 prospectively enrolled patients with chronic liver diseases, clinical, biochemical, and histological features were assessed. Serum cytokeratin18-Aspartate396 and Fibroscan were performed within 6 months prior to liver biopsy. ResultsCytokeratin18-Aspartate396 levels predicted both significant and advanced fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group, correctly identifying 83.7% and 80.8% of cases, respectively. Liver stiffness performed best in predicting severe fibrosis in patients with chronic viral infection, correctly identifying 78.7% of chronic hepatitis B and 88.6% of chronic hepatitis C subjects. The combination of cytokeratin18-Aspartate396 and liver stiffness improved their diagnostic performance for the detection of significant and advanced fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group, only (sensitivity=78.3%, specificity=90.7%; sensitivity=91.7%, specificity=71.6%, respectively). ConclusionCytokeratin18-Aspartate396 and liver stiffness can improve the non-invasive prediction of significant and advanced fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, while in hepatitis B and C virus infected patients their combined use had no advantage over the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography alone.

Measurements of serum procollagen-III peptide and M30 do not improve the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography for the detection of hepatic fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Transient elastography (TE) has recently emerged as an accurate noninvasive imaging method for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here, we tested whether adding serum measures of serum procollagen-III peptide (PIIIP) and caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18 fragment (M30) to TE could improve its diagnostic accuracy in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD. TE was performed in 87 patients with NAFLD. Serum PIIIP and M30 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Liver histology was considered the gold standard. The diagnostic accuracies were assessed by measuring the area under the receiver operating curve. At histopathological examination, 34 patients (39.1%) had significant fibrosis (F2-F4) and 19 patients (21.8%) had advanced fibrosis (F3-F4). Both TE and serum M30 levels were independent predictors of fibrosis, whereas no association was found with PIIIP. No significant differences in terms of sensitivity and specificity for both significant and advanced fibrosis were evident for TE, serum M30, or their combination. Moreover, the area under the receiver operating curves of serum M30 combined with TE did not differ significantly from those of either test alone. Both TE and serum M30 levels are accurate for the noninvasive diagnosis of fibrosis in NAFLD. However, their combination did not improve the overall diagnostic accuracy.