Transient Elastography Measurements Research Articles

Diagnostic performance of new BAST score versus FIB-4 index in predicating of the liver fibrosis in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Background and aimMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver condition globally. The FIB-4 test is used to detect fibrosis in fatty liver disease but has limited accuracy in predicting liver stiffness, resulting in high rates of false positives and negatives. The new BAST scoring system, incorporating waist circumference, AST, and BMI, has been developed to assess the presence of fibrosis in NAFLD patients. This study compares the effectiveness of BAST and FIB-4 in predicting liver fibrosis in MASLD patients.Patients and methodsThe study included 140 non-diabetic MASLD patients who underwent transient elastography measurement. BAST score and FIB-4 were calculated for each patient. Patients were grouped based on fibrosis severity; F1, F2, and F3–F4. The sensitivity and specificity of the BAST score and FIB-4 were assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves.ResultsThe BAST score increased significantly with fibrosis progression from F1 to F3–F4. In differentiating advanced fibrosis (F2–F3) from mild/moderate fibrosis (F1–F2), the BAST score at cutoff ≤ − 0.451 showed better diagnostic performance with 90.70% sensitivity, 74.07% specificity, 84.8% PPV and 83.3% NPV compared to FIB-4 that had 60.47% sensitivity, 50.0% specificity, 65.8% PPV and 44.3% NPV. Similarly, for differentiating between F1 and F2 fibrosis, the BAST score at cutoff ≤ − 1.11 outperformed FIB-4, with 80.23% sensitivity, 79.49% specificity, 89.6% PPV and 64.6% NPV, while FIB-4 had 59.30% sensitivity, 51.28% specificity, 72.9% PPV and 36% NPV.ConclusionsThe BAST score is a better predictor of liver fibrosis in MASLD compared to FIB-4, especially in cases of advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis.

Performance of spleen stiffness measurement by 100‐Hz vibration‐controlled transient elastography, liver stiffness, APRI score and their combination for predicting oesophageal varices in liver cirrhosis

BackgroundOesophageal varices (EV) rupture remains one of the most severe complications of cirrhosis. As the gold standard to predict this accident, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) itself also has a weakness. Not all patients are convenient with this modality in clinical practice apart from the risk and cost burden. Hence, the search for other non-invasive modalities with high accuracy is still noteworthy. Among them, spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) with 100 Hz probe, liver stiffness measurement (LSM), and the aspartate amino transferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) score became popular and intensively studied with good accuracy, but the results remain conflicting. This study aims to investigate the performance of SSM, LSM, APRI score, and their combination especially as a screening tool for predicting EV in liver cirrhosis patients. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we included 141 patients with liver cirrhosis who had undergone endoscopy, SSM, LSM, and APRI score calculation between January and March 2023 were enrolled. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by the area under the receiver-operator curve (AUC). Transient elastography (TE) measurement was performed using a spleen-dedicated FibroScan with a 100-Hz probe. ResultsOf the 141 patients, the most common aetiology was hepatitis B in 71 patients (50.4 %). EV were found in 116 patients. Using the AUC, SSM at a cutoff of 40 kPa had the best performance with an AUC of 0.892 (CI 95 %: 0.814–0.969, p <0.0001), with sensitivity 88.79 % and specificity 80 %). Meanwhile, LSM and APRI score had an AUC of 0.832 (CI 95 %: 0.742–0.922, p <0.0001) and 0.780 (CI 95 %: 0.660–0.900, p <0.0001), respectively. The combination of all measurement tools did not show better performance than SSM alone with an AUC of 0.892 (CI 95 %: 0.802–0.982, P <0.0001) ConclusionSSM provides better performance than LSM and APRI scores for predicting EV. Performance of SSM alone is non-inferior compare to multiple diagnostic tools combined.

Metabolic characteristics of patients with MetALD: Caveats of a new definition.

Recently, a new entity was introduced, MetALD, which includes patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), who consume moderate amounts of alcohol. However, little is known regarding the metabolic and clinical characteristics of these patients. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2017-2020 was used. Participants without valid transient elastography (TE) measurements, incomplete alcohol consumption report, or with alternative etiologies of liver steatosis were excluded. A total of 6901 patients were included in the study, of which 106 (1.5%) had MetALD. Overall, MetALD patients showed a metabolic profile that was more similar to patients with alcohol related liver disease (ALD) than MASLD. Specifically, while patients with MetALD showed values in-between MASLD and ALD for body mass index (BMI), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) and haemoglobin A1c, they had similar high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), blood pressure, prevalence of diabetes and insulin resistance to ALD patients. Increasing alcohol consumption was associated with lower insulin resistance and A1c and higher triglycerides, HDL-C and blood pressure. Moreover, while AST, ALT and GGT increased with alcohol consumption, this did not translate into worse hepatic steatosis or liver fibrosis by TE. MetALD patients share some characteristics with MASLD, but they resemble ALD patients more, especially after adjusting for BMI. Alcohol consumption produces a dissociation between insulin resistance and some cardiometabolic risk factors (blood pressure and HDL-C), which may make the current classification of patients challenging.

Association between composite dietary antioxidant index and metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease: result from NHANES, 2017-2020.

The development of metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has been associated with lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and lipotoxicity. The Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI) is a comprehensive score representing an individual intake of various dietary antioxidants, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and carotenoids. This study investigated the association between CDAI and MASLD. Clinical and demographic data, as well as ultrasound transient elastography measurements at baseline, were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2020 (NHANES 2017-2020). The controlled attenuation parameter was utilized to diagnose the presence of hepatic steatosis and to categorize individuals into those with and without MASLD. Liver stiffness was measured by ultrasound transient elastography, and subjects were classified as those with and without advanced liver fibrosis. This study included 5,884 adults, of whom 3,433 were diagnosed with MASLD, resulting in a weighted prevalence of 57.3%. After adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios for MASLD were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.12) in the second quartile, 0.80 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.95) in the third quartile and 0.60 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.73) in the fourth quartile, respectively. CDAI, however, was not significantly associated with advanced liver fibrosis. These findings suggested that scores on the CDAI were linearly and negatively associated with the prevalence of MASLD in the United States adults.

Assessment of liver fibrosis by transient elastography among human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis B virus and hepatitis B virus-mono-infected patients on tenofovir therapy in Jos, Nigeria

Objectives: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, both in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-mono-infection, is associated with a risk of progression to chronic liver disease. In Nigeria, there is a paucity of data on transient elastography (TE) in HIV/HBV and HBVmono-infected patients. This study aimed at assessing liver fibrosis using TE in relation to liver function biomarkers and HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) among HIV/HBV and HBV-mono-infected patients on long-term antiviral therapy. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among HBV–HIV and HBV-mono-infected adult’s patients receiving a tenofovir-containing antiretroviral and mono-tenofovir ≥12 months at three selected tertiary hospitals in Jos Metropolis from February 2018 to May 2019, after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Boards and informed consents. The patients’ HBV DNA, platelet count, hematological, and biochemical parameters were assessed, and liver stiffness was measured by TE in kilopascals (kPa), and valid TE measurements were interpreted as: normal (F0– 1 0–4), minimal fibrosis (F2 5–7.4), moderate (F3 7.5.9.4), and severe fibrosis and cirrhosis (F4 ≥9.5). Results: A total of 101 (50 HIV/HBV and 51 HBV-mono-infected) were enrolled during the study period, comprising 42.6% males and 57.4% females. The median age interquartile range among HIV/HBV coinfected was 40.5 years (36.0–45.3) and HBV-mono-infected was 41.0 years (35.0–49.0). The median platelet count was low in the HBV-mono-infected group 195 × 109/L (168–257), P = 0.034. The overall prevalence of severe liver fibrosis (≥9.5 kPa) was 13/101 (13.0%), and among HIV/HBV-coinfected and HBV-mono-infected patients, the prevalence was 4/50 (8.0%) and 9/51 (17.6%), respectively. The plasma HBV DNA was &lt;20 copies/mL in 38/50 (76.0%) HIV/HBV coinfected individuals and in 30/51 (58.8%) of HBV-mono-infected patients. In addition, 10/50 (20.0%) HIV/HBV coinfected and 19/50 (37.3%) HBV-mono-infected patients had plasma HBV DNA levels of 20–20,000 copies/mL. In the case of HIV/HBV coinfection, the prevalence of severe fibrosis (≥9.5) was 4/50 (8.0%), while in HBV-mono-infected patients, the prevalence was was 9/51 (17.6%). The overall prevalence of thrombocytopenia was observed in 4/101 cases (3.9%): 1/50 (2.0%) in HIV/HBV coinfected individuals and 3/51 (5.9%) in HBV-mono-infected patients. Conclusion: Severe liver fibrosis as observed among HIV/HBV-coinfected and HBV-mono-infected patients in this study affirmed the necessity of routine HBV screening in clinics and it highlights the immense potentials of tenofovir therapy in the treatment of CHB patients.

Rapid appraisal of liver diseases using transient elastography, abdominal ultrasound, and microbiology in Côte d'Ivoire: A single-center study.

Liver diseases of infectious and non-infectious etiology cause considerable morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, data on the prevalence of liver diseases and underlying risk factors in LMICs are scarce. The objective of this study was to elucidate the occurrence of infectious diseases among individuals with chronic liver damage in a rural setting of Côte d'Ivoire. In 2021, we screened 696 individuals from four villages in the southern part of Côte d'Ivoire for hepatic fibrosis and steatosis, employing transient elastography (TE) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). We classified CAP ≥248 dB/m as steatosis, TE ≥7.2 kPa as fibrosis, and did subgroup analysis for participants with TE ranging from 7.2 kPa to 9.1 kPa. Clinical and microbiologic characteristics were compared to an age- and sex-matched control group (TE <6.0 kPa; n = 109). Stool samples were subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears for diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni. Venous blood samples were examined for hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus. Additionally, an abdominal ultrasound examination was performed. Among 684 individuals with valid TE measurements, TE screening identified hepatic pathologies in 149 participants (17% with fibrosis and 6% with steatosis). 419 participants were included for further analyses, of which 261 had complete microbiologic analyses available. The prevalence of S. mansoni, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C were 30%, 14%, and 7%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed higher odds for having TE results between 7.2 kPa and 9.1 kPa in individuals with S. mansoni infection (odds ratio [OR] = 3.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.58-5.76, P = 0.001), while HCV infection (OR = 5.02, 95% CI = 1.72-14.69, P = 0.003) and steatosis (OR = 4.62, 95% CI = 1.60-13.35, P = 0.005) were found to be risk factors for TE ≥9.2 kPa. Besides viral hepatitis, S. mansoni also warrants consideration as a pathogen causing liver fibrosis in Côte d'Ivoire. In-depth diagnostic work-up among individuals with abnormal TE findings might be a cost-effective public health strategy.

The influence of carvedilol posology timing on clinically significant portal hypertension: insights from elastography measurements.

Carvedilol has emerged as the preferred β-blocker for treating portal hypertension. However, there is still a debate in dosing regimen, with a potential lower bioavailability in once-daily regimens. The aim of this study is to assess the acute effects of carvedilol posology in patients with clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH), as a surrogate marker of bioavailability. In this experimental study, 34 patients with CSPH receiving carvedilol twice daily were asked to suppress the night dose of carvedilol, creating a standardized 24-hour dose interval. Spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography (TE) were performed, with the exact interval between the last carvedilol administration and TE measurements consistently maintained at 24 hours and compared with values prior and under treatment. Thirty-four patients were included, predominantly male (82.9%). SSM after suspending carvedilol for 24 hours [mean, 73.9kPa (SD, 17.0)] was significantly higher ( P < 0.001) than under treatment [mean, 56.3kPa (SD, 13.2)] and was not significantly different ( P = 0.908) from SSM prior to introduction of carvedilol [mean, 74.5kPa (SD, 12.4)]. Differences were also found in stratified analysis for carvedilol dosage, D'Amico classification stages, MELDNa scores, MELD3.0 scores, Child-Pugh class A and CSPH due to alcoholic cirrhosis. LSM after suspension was not significantly different from both under treatment and prior to treatment. The differences in SSM after skipping one dose of carvedilol show both the importance of strict adherence to the prescribed dosing regimen to achieve the expected therapeutic benefits and the impact of twice daily prescription in bioavailability throughout the day.

Fibrosis Progression in Patients with Budd–Chiari Syndrome and Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS): A Long-Term Study Using Transient Elastography

Hepatic vein outflow obstruction causes congestion of the liver, leading to necrosis, fibrosis, and portal hypertension (PH). A transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) reduces congestion and PH by providing artificial outflow. The aim of the study was to investigate fibrosis progression in patients with Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS) and TIPS using transient elastography (TE). From 2010 to 2022, 25 patients received 80 TEs using FibroScan®, Echosens, Paris, France (3.2 ± 2.1 per patient). TIPS function was assessed via Doppler ultrasound or radiological intervention. At the time of TE examination, 21 patients had patent shunts. Four patients had occluded shunts but normal pressure gradients during the intervention. The first TE measurement performed 9.8 ± 6.8 years after the BCS diagnosis showed stiffness values of 24.6 ± 11.5 kPa. A second or last measurement performed 7.0 ± 2.9 years after the first measurement showed similar stiffness values of 24.1 ± 15.7 kPa (p = 0.943). Except for three patients, the liver stiffness was always &gt;12 kPa, indicating advanced fibrosis. Stiffness values obtained &lt;5 years (n = 8, 23.8 ± 9.2 kPa) or &gt;5 years after the BCS diagnosis (24.9 ± 12.7 kPa) did not differ (p = 0.907). In addition, stiffness was not related to the interval between BCS and TIPS implantation (p = 0.999). One patient received liver transplantation, and two patients died from non-hepatic causes. Most patients developed mild to moderate cirrhosis, possibly during the early phase of the disease. Timing of TIPS did not influence fibrosis progression. This and the release of portal hypertension may argue in favor of a generous TIPS implantation practice in patients with BCS.

Suboptimal reliability of FIB-4 and NAFLD-fibrosis scores for staging of liver fibrosis in general population.

The burden and incidence of liver cirrhosis are increasing worldwide. Early detection of liver fibrosis would help in early interventions and preventing the progression of fibrosis and cirrhosis. The accepted noninvasive markers for liver fibrosis staging, namely fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS), have shown inconsistent performance for detecting the fibrosis stage. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of FIB-4 score and NFS for the detection of liver fibrosis in the general population. From a general population referred from a single, community-based family-physician clinic, we included study participants between the ages of 45 and 65 years, with no knowledge of liver disease and no record of alcohol consumption. Liver fibrosis was evaluated by the FIB-4 score and NFS using shear wave elastography (SWE) or transient elastography (TE) measurements as a reference. A total of 76 participants (aged 61.5 ± 0.37 years, 33% females) were included in the study cohort. We observed a nonsignificant correlation between liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and FIB-4 and NFS (r = 0.1, P = 0.37; r = 0.16, P = 0.15, respectively). Our results showed that only 5.2% with FIB-4 >3.25 and 9.7% with NFS >0.675 had LSM >12 kPa. The compatibility of fibrosis staging was 55% between FIB-4 score and LSM and only 18% between NFS and LSM. We found that FIB-4 and NFS are unreliable tools for liver fibrosis estimation in the general population. There is a need for more reliable noninvasive methods for the early detection of liver fibrosis.

Infections increase the risk of decompensation and death in patients with early alcohol-related liver disease

Background & AimsInfections are frequent in patients with cirrhosis and worsen prognosis. We evaluated the incidence of infections and their impact on decompensation and death in patients with early alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) during long-term follow-up. MethodsWe performed a prospective cohort study of patients in secondary care with a history of excess alcohol intake, no prior decompensation, and with liver biopsies along with clinical investigations conducted at baseline. During follow-up, we reviewed the patients’ electronic healthcare records for cases of infections, hospitalizations, transient elastography measurements, decompensations, all-cause mortality, and alcohol intake. ResultsWe included 461 patients with a mean age of 56±10 years (76% males; fibrosis stage F0-1/F2/F3-4 = 259/107/93 [56%/23%/20%]). During a median follow-up of 4.5 years (IQR 2.9-6.3), 134 patients (29%) developed a total of 312 infections, most frequently pneumonia (106/312, 34%) and urinary tract infections (57/312, 18%). Excessive alcohol intake during follow-up, smoking ≥30 pack years, MELD score and elevated liver stiffness during follow-up were independent predictors of infections. Patients who developed at least one infection had a significantly increased risk of subsequent decompensation (hazard ratio 4.98, 95% CI 2.47-10.03) and death (hazard ratio 8.24, 95% CI 4.65-14.59). Infections increased the risk of decompensation and death independently of baseline fibrosis stage, age, gender, and MELD score. ConclusionsAlmost one-third of patients with early ALD develop an infection, which worsens their prognosis by increasing the risk of decompensation and death. The risk of infections increases with liver disease severity and ongoing harmful use of alcohol. Impact and implicationsThis study reveals that infections significantly worsen the prognosis of patients with early alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), increasing the likelihood of decompensation and death by up to eight times. These findings, pertinent to healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers, emphasize the importance of early prevention and management of infections in patients with ALD, even those in early stages who may be asymptomatic. It was observed that nearly one-third of patients with early-stage ALD developed infections over 4.5 years, with risk factors including alcohol overuse, smoking, and higher MELD scores. The research underscores the critical need to incorporate these insights into clinical practice and public health policies to improve patient outcomes and mitigate the impact of infections in patients with ALD.

Identifying the most critical behavioral lifestyles associated with MAFLD: evidence from the NHANES 2017-2020.

Accumulating studies have demonstrated associations between single lifestyle exposures and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, the joint effects of lifestyle exposures remain unclear, hindering the development of targeted prevention and control strategies. We aimed to investigate the joint associations between lifestyle exposomes and MAFLD. This study included 5,002 participants from NHANES 2017-2020. Lifestyle exposomes, including sleep duration, metabolic equivalent of task (MET), Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 score, alcohol consumption, and smoke exposure, were identified from questionnaire data. MAFLD was diagnosed by vibration-controlled transient elastography measurements and laboratory data. A logistic regression model and the weighted quantile sum method were used to evaluate the associations of single and joint lifestyle exposomes, respectively, with MAFLD. The population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated to assess the population benefits of different intervention strategies. Per-quartile range increases in sleep duration (OR=0.883, 95% CI: 0.826-0.944), MET (0.916, 0.871-0.963), and HEI-2015 score (0.827, 0.756-0.904) were significantly associated with MAFLD. The joint exposure of sleep duration, MET, and HEI-2015 score was associated with MAFLD (0.772, 0.688-0.865), with the highest weight (importance) for MET (0.526). PAFs revealed greater intervention benefits for sleep and the HEI-2015 when the majority of the population (>5%) had a low MAFLD risk (weak intervention targets), whereas MET was the most efficient intervention strategy when minority populations (≤5%) had a low MAFLD risk (strong intervention targets). This study demonstrated significant associations between MAFLD and single and joint exposures to sleep duration, MET, and HEI-2015 and identified physical activity as the most important lifestyle factor. Further population benefit analyses may provide evidence and suggestions for population-level interventions.

Effect of Cytokeratin-18, C-peptide, MHR, and MACK-3 Biomarkers in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has emerged as a valuable treatment for various metabolic disorders, including metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in patients with obesity. Consequently, there is a pressing need to develop noninvasive biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring disease progression. This study aimed to evaluate specific biomarkers, including Cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), C-peptide, monocyte to HDL cholesterol ratio (MHR), and MACK-3, in patients with obesity with MAFLD undergoing LSG. A prospective cohort study on patients with obesity before and 6 months after the LSG procedure. 70 patients with obesity with confirmed MAFLD, determined by Transient Elastography (TE), were pre- and 6 months postoperatively tested. Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile, ghrelin, leptin, peptide YY, GLP-1, and liver fibrosis scores, including AST/ALT ratio (AAR), Fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4), and BARD Score were tested. BMI significantly decreased in all participants, with a % excess weight loss of 62.0% ± 15.4%. TE measurements revealed a significant postoperative reduction from 100% to 87.1% (P = .006). All selected biomarkers showed significant postoperative improvement-a significant association of CK-18 with MAFLD markers, including AAR, FIB-4, and BARD score, were found. MACK-3 had positive associations with FIB-4. C-peptide and MHR showed no association with MAFLD markers. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between CK-18 and MACK-3 tests and between C-peptide and CK-18 and MACK-3. Additionally, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed, with CK-18 performing the best, with an estimated area under the curve of 0.863. Serum CK-18 outperformed other selected biomarkers in predicting and monitoring MAFLD in patients with obesity, suggesting its prospective utility in clinical practice. Further studies are needed to validate the accuracy of the MACK-3 test.

Noninvasive tests to identify liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease are affected by race.

The objective of this study was to assess the performance of noninvasive tests (NITs) across different racial and ethnic groups in a large multiethnic cohort. Data were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017 through 2020. Participants without valid transient elastography measurements or with alternative etiologies of liver steatosis disease were excluded from the study. Among the 6359 adults included in the study, fatty liver index and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease liver fat scores performed well for the prediction of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, without significant changes across racial and ethnic groups. However, significant differences were observed across racial and ethnic groups for the prediction of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. The fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score underperformed in non-Hispanic Black patients for the detection of cirrhosis. For the detection of advanced fibrosis, their performance was also numerically worse in non-Hispanic Black patients but only reached statistical significance for APRI. Using a cutoff point of 12 kPa for advanced fibrosis, both APRI and the FIB-4 index performed significantly worse in non-Hispanic Black patients. In a large, diverse national cohort, the performance of NITs was overall poor compared with transient elastography, and NITs showed differences across racial and ethnic groups. Given the widespread use of NITs, it is imperative that the scores are equitable across racial and ethnic groups.

OR24-05 High Waist Circumference Is Strongly Predictive Of Hepatic Steatosis And Significant Fibrosis

Abstract Disclosure: N. Janakiram: None. S. Puri: None. A. Thirumalai: None. Vibration-controlled transient elastography (TE) can measure controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. A high skin-to-capsule distance can challenge the accuracy of this imaging technique. Therefore, high waist circumference (WC), a known risk factor for NAFLD, can hamper assessment in high-risk patients. Studies investigating the relationship between WC and TE measurements have yielded conflicting results. We used the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to explore this relationship in a large cohort of the general population. We hypothesized that high WC would be associated with (1) higher failure rate for completion of TE, (2) worse CAP and LSM measurements and (3) be predictive of presence of steatosis and significant fibrosis. We summarized the primary reason for incomplete TE in normal and high WC participants of male (M; WC ≥ 102 cm = high) and female (F; WC ≥ 88 cm = high) gender. We compared mean CAP and LSM between normal and high WC participants using unpaired t-tests. We calculated area under receiver operator curve (AUROC) for WC predicting presence of steatosis (CAP ≥248 dB/m) and significant fibrosis (LSM ≥8 kPa) and compared this with fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) and NAFLD fibrosis scores (NFS). We analyzed the 5757 patients (2880 F, 2877 M) with complete or partial TE status, based on WC. Proportion of patients with partial TE status was higher in those with high WC (8.9% F, 9% M) than normal WC patients (6.5% F, 6.4% M). We analyzed the 446 patients with partial TE status (231 F, 215 M) by cause. The proportion of patients who were unable to complete TE, either due to an IQR/medium &amp;gt; 30% or not having 10 valid measurements among the high WC population (66%) was significantly higher than those with normal WC (23%), in both women (X2 (1, n=231) = 29.63; p&amp;lt;.001) and men (X2 (1, n=215) = 49.43; p&amp;lt;.001).Among those with complete TE (n=2313; 1090 M, 1223 F), mean CAP was significantly higher (p&amp;lt;0.001) in high WC patients (308 dB/m M, 278 dB/m F) compared to normal WC patients (250 dB/m M, 225 dB/m F). Mean LSM was significantly higher (p&amp;lt;0.001) in high WC patients (6.8 kPa M, 5.7 kPa F) compared to normal WC patients (5.7 kPa M, 4.5 kPa F). The AUROC for WC predicting presence of steatosis was 0.77 in F and 0.80 in M (p&amp;lt;0.001 for both). The AUROC for WC predicting the presence of significant fibrosis (≥8 kPa) was 0.73 in F and 0.71 in M (p&amp;lt;0.001 for both). In AUROC analyses, WC performed better than FIB-4 and NFS in predicting presence of significant fibrosis and steatosis. Therefore, we conclude that high WC is more likely to result in an incomplete TE, but among those with a valid exam, it is highly predictive of presence of steatosis and significant fibrosis. Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023

National prevalence estimates for steatotic liver disease and subclassifications using consensus nomenclature.

The multisociety consensus nomenclature has renamed NAFLD to steatotic liver disease (SLD) with various subclassifications. There is a paucity of data regarding how the new nomenclature modifies our understanding of disease prevalence and patient phenotypes. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from January 2017 to March 2020, we included all participants aged 18 years or above with complete vibration-controlled transient elastography measures. SLD and its subclassifications [metabolic dysfunction-associated SLD (MASLD), MASLD + increased alcohol intake (MetALD), alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), etiology-specific/cryptogenic] were defined according to consensus nomenclature. National SLD prevalence and subclassifications were estimated, and among key subgroups [age, sex, race/ethnicity, advanced liver fibrosis (liver stiffness measurement [LSM] ≥11.7 kPa)]. Among 7367 participants, 2549 had SLD (mean age 51 y, 57.7% male, 63.2% non-Hispanic White). The estimated prevalence of SLD was 34.2% (95% CI 31.9%-36.5%): MASLD 31.3% (29.2%-33.4%), MetALD 2% (1.6%-2.9%), ALD 0.7% (0.5-0.9%), etiology-specific/cryptogenic 0.03% (0.01%-0.08%). In exploratory analyses, participants classified as non-SLD with (vs. without) advanced fibrosis had a higher mean number of metabolic risk factors [2.7 (2.3-3.1) vs. 2.0 (1.9-2.0)] and a higher proportion with average alcohol use ≥20 g/d (women)/≥30 g/d (men) [20.9% (6.2%-51.3%) vs. 7.2% (6.1%-8.4%)]. In another exploratory analysis, increasing quantities of alcohol use remaining below the threshold for MASLD + increased alcohol intake were associated with advanced liver fibrosis in men, but not women. There was 99% overlap in cases of NAFLD and MASLD. Our findings highlight the utility of the new consensus nomenclature to address deficiencies present with the old nomenclature, and identify areas that require research to further refine classifications of SLD.

Correlation of Transient Elastography with Liver Iron Concentration and Serum Ferritin Levels in Patients with Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia Major from Oman.

In a longitudinal study, we aimed to assess the correlation between ultrasound transient elastography (TE), serum ferritin (SF), liver iron content (LIC) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* along with the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score as a screening tool to detect significant liver fibrosis among chronically transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT) patients. The study was conducted at a tertiary health center treating TDT patients. Transient elastography was performed within 3 months of Liver MRI T2* examinations at the radiology department over a median of one-year duration. T-test for independent data or Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze group differences. Spearman correlation with linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between TE liver stiffness measurements, Liver MRI T2* values, and SF levels. In this study on 91 patients, the median age (IQR) of the subjects was 33 (9) years, and the median (IQR) body mass index was 23.8 (6.1) kg/m2. Median (IQR) TE by fibroscan, MRI T2*(3T), Liver iron concentration (LIC) by MRI Liver T2*, and SF levels were 6.38 (2.6) kPa, 32.4 (18) milliseconds, 7(9) g/dry wt., and 1881 (2969) ng/mL, respectively. TE measurements correlated with LIC g/dry wt. (rS =0.39, p=0.0001) and with SF level (rS =0.43, P=0.001) but not with MRI T2* values (rS =-0.24; P=0.98). In TDT patients, liver stiffness measured as TE decreased significantly with improved iron overload measured as LIC by MRI and SF levels. However, there was no correlation of TE with the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score.

Effect of bariatric surgery on NAFLD/NASH: a single-centre observational prospective cohort study

IntroductionThe prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ranges from 25% in the general population to 90% in patients with obesity scheduled for bariatric surgery. NAFLD can progress towards non-alcoholic...

WED-310 - Symptom burden in people living with primary biliary cholangitis does not associate with transient elastography measures

WED-310 - Symptom burden in people living with primary biliary cholangitis does not associate with transient elastography measures

WED-286 - Transient elastography measurements of spleen stiffness are associated with treatment response to ursodeoxycholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis

WED-286 - Transient elastography measurements of spleen stiffness are associated with treatment response to ursodeoxycholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis

Effects of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line therapy for OSA. However, the effect of CPAP on NAFLD in patients with concomitant OSA is still unclear. This study aims to identify the use of CPAP on NAFLD in patients with OSA. Method: A systematic literature search was performed using particular keywords and medical subheadings in three journal databases: Cochrane, PubMed, and EBSCOhost. The results were screened and assessed using inclusion and exclusion criteria by three independent authors. The Randomized controlled trial (RCT) quality was evaluated with Jadad scale and the cohort studies quality was assessed with Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale.Results: Two RCTs and three cohort studies were eligible to fulfil the inclusion criteria, consisting of 620 total patients. Two RCTs showed no statistically significant improvement after CPAP treatment in NAFLD based on intrahepatic triglyceride (measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy), liver stiffness measurement, serum cytokeratin-18 fragment, and liver function blood test parameters. Meanwhile, 2 cohort studies in adults and 1 cohort study in children showed significant improvement in ALT, AST, and APRI. However, one cohort study showed no significant improvement in serum fibrosis markers and transient elastography measurement after CPAP treatment.Conclusion: CPAP might be beneficial in some patients with OSA to improve NAFLD, but further research that includes many subjects and longer duration of CPAP therapy is needed to confirm this result.