Non-invasive methods for detection of progressive fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fat liver disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
O. M. Drapkina ◽  
R. N. Shepel ◽  
E. P. Yakovenko ◽  
E. V. Zyatenkova
Keyword(s):  
2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh P. Arasaradnam ◽  
Michael McFarlane ◽  
Emma Daulton ◽  
Erik Westenbrink ◽  
Nicola O’Connell ◽  
...  

Background & Aims: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the commonest cause of chronic liver disease in the western world. Current diagnostic methods including Fibroscan have limitations, thus there is a need for more robust non-invasive screening methods. The gut microbiome is altered in several gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders resulting in altered, unique gut fermentation patterns, detectable by analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine, breath and faeces. We performed a proof of principle pilot study to determine if progressive fatty liver disease produced an altered urinary VOC pattern; specifically NAFLD and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH).Methods: 34 patients were recruited: 8 NASH cirrhotics (NASH-C); 7 non-cirrhotic NASH; 4 NAFLD and 15 controls. Urine was collected and stored frozen. For assay, the samples were defrosted and aliquoted into vials, which were heated to 40±0.1°C and the headspace analyzed by FAIMS (Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectroscopy). A previously used data processing pipeline employing a Random Forrest classification algorithm and using a 10 fold cross validation method was applied.Results: Urinary VOC results demonstrated sensitivity of 0.58 (0.33 - 0.88), but specificity of 0.93 (0.68 - 1.00) and an Area Under Curve (AUC) 0.73 (0.55 -0.90) to distinguish between liver disease and controls. However, NASH/NASH-C was separated from the NAFLD/controls with a sensitivity of 0.73 (0.45 - 0.92), specificity of 0.79 (0.54 - 0.94) and AUC of 0.79 (0.64 - 0.95), respectively.Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that urinary VOCs detection may offer the potential for early non-invasive characterisation of liver disease using 'smell prints' to distinguish between NASH and NAFLD.


Author(s):  
Valentin N. Druzhinin ◽  
Vadim G. Suvorov ◽  
Nikolay V. Druzhinin ◽  
Aleksandr N. Cherniyi ◽  
Sergey N. Troynyakov

Currently, the problem of reducing the risk of developing fat liver hepatosis from exposure to household and industrial toxicants among the working-age population continues to be an important medical and social problem, since not timely diagnosis of the disease can lead to its progressive course with the development of inflammatory changes, necrosis and liver fibrosis up to cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. In this regard, the search for methods and techniques that optimize the diagnosis of fat hepatosis is relevant. Modern methods of radiation diagnostics of liver density characteristics can significantly reduce subjectivity in the assessment of changes due to the use of quantitative indicators. The aim of study - improving the quality of x-ray diagnostics of fat liver disease based on a precision assessment of the density of the liver parenchyma using computed tomography. A comparative retrospective analysis of the results of a comprehensive clinical and radiological examination of 115 men of working age in the range of 40-55 years was performed. The main group (48 people) - employees of machine-building plants: shapers, stumpers, fitters-assemblers who had industrial contact with such factors as local vibration, dust, noise, muscle strain, burdened with a long alcoholic history and the presence of signs of metabolic syndrome: hyperlipidemia, impaired tolerance to carbohydrates, diabetes, abdominal obesity. The comparison group included representatives of auxiliary professions without clinical signs of pathology (47 people), comparable in age and experience with the main group. X-ray examinations were performed using computer tomographs: "HI Spead CT/e Dual" by GE Medical Systems and "Aqulion 64" by Toshiba. To measure the liver density in Hounsfield units (HU), the ROI (zone of interest) tool was used, which allows determining the desired value over areas of different dimensions. Measurements were performed on computer screens in 4 zones of interest at 4 levels of scanning of the liver lobes (apex, level of the caval gate, level of the left lobe, level of the portal gate) with the calculation of the average values of the density index (IDH) and density gradients (IDG) relative to the aorta, spleen and kidney. Analysis of the results of a posteriori CT densitometry of various parts of the liver within the framework of the developed algorithm, including the use of absolute and relative (gradient) x-ray density indicators of hepatic, vascular (aorta),splenic and renal structures, allowed us to expand our understanding of the quantitative density characteristics both in normal and in patients with signs of diffuse fat hepatosis (FH). It was found that the liver parenchyma density indicators can be a kind of (conditional), sometimes the only indicators of the degree of severity of changes that objectively manifest positive or negative dynamics of pathophysiological processes and, in particular, at the initial stages of the development of the studied pathology. Density differences in the right and left liver parenchyma in the control group (conditional norm) in terms of absolute density and its gradient, regardless of the level of scanning, were insignificant (statistically unreliable). In patients with clinical signs of fatty liver infiltration at the stage of steatosis, in the absence of x-ray morphologically detectable structural changes, a decrease in IDH and the dynamics of its increase (recovery) at various stages of observation were revealed. Even with comparatively equal IDH of the evaluated departments, the IDG of different people differed, manifesting the individuality of metabolic processes occurring in the body, in particular in the liver, is a kind of indicator of their direction and severity. The significance of density indicators as predictors of the subsequent stages of the pathology under consideration was particularly evident in the analysis of the results of primary diagnostics and its development in the dynamics of observations. The application of the developed methodological approach allowed us to expand our understanding of the possibilities of KT-liver densitometry in patients with metabolic syndrome (hyperlipidemia, impaired carbohydrate tolerance, diabetes mellitus, abdominal obesity) in the diagnosis of fatty liver disease (FLD) at various stages of examination, including in the early subclinical phases of pathology development. The results obtained indicate the predominant role of ethyl alcohol as a hepatotoxicant in the development of FLD in the estimated cohort of the working-age population. The use of an original algorithm for evaluating tissue density makes it possible to significantly ensure the objectivity of the interpretation of research results.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (32) ◽  
pp. 3915-3927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Ballestri ◽  
Claudio Tana ◽  
Maria Di Girolamo ◽  
Maria Cristina Fontana ◽  
Mariano Capitelli ◽  
...  

: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) embraces histopathological entities ranging from the relatively benign simple steatosis to the progressive form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is associated with fibrosis and an increased risk of progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is the most common liver disease and is associated with extrahepatic comorbidities including a major cardiovascular disease burden. : The non-invasive diagnosis of NAFLD and the identification of subjects at risk of progressive liver disease and cardio-metabolic complications are key in implementing personalized treatment schedules and follow-up strategies. : In this review, we highlight the potential role of ultrasound semiquantitative scores for detecting and assessing steatosis severity, progression of NAFLD, and cardio-metabolic risk. : Ultrasonographic scores of fatty liver severity act as sensors of cardio-metabolic health and may assist in selecting patients to submit to second-line non-invasive imaging techniques and/or liver biopsy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ola G Behairy ◽  
Soha A El‐Gendy ◽  
Dalia Y Ibrahim ◽  
Amira I Mansour ◽  
Ola S El‐Shimi

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 37-38
Author(s):  
A Zoughlami ◽  
J Serero ◽  
G Sebastiani ◽  
M Deschenes ◽  
P Wong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) are at higher risk of developing complications from portal hypertension, including esophageal varices (EV). Baveno VI and expanded Baveno VI criteria, based on liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography combined with platelet count, have been proposed to avoid unnecessary esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) screening for large esophageal varices needing treatment (EVNT). This approach has not been validated in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, who have etiology-specific cut-off of LSM for liver fibrosis. Aims We aimed to validate the Baveno VI and expanded Baveno VI criteria for EVNT in HBV patients with cACLD. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of HBV patients who underwent LSM in 2014–2020. Inclusion criteria were: a) diagnosis of cACLD, defined as LSM >9 kPa; b) availability of EGD and platelets within 1 year of LSM. Baveno VI (LSM <20 kPa and platelets >150,000) and expanded Baveno VI criteria (LSM <25 kPa and platelets >110,000) were tested for EGD sparing. Diagnostic performance of these criteria against gold standard (EGD) was computed and compared to patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) etiologies, where these criteria have been widely validated. In these patients, the threshold for cACLD definition was >10 kPa. Results A total of 287 patients (mean age 56, 95% Child A) were included, comprising of 43 HBV (58% on antiviral therapy), 134 HCV and 110 NASH patients. The prevalence of any grade EV and EVNT was 25% and 8% in the whole cohort, with 19% and 5% in HBV patients, respectively. Table 1 reports diagnostic performance, spared EGD and missed EVNT according to non-invasive criteria and cACLD etiology. Both Baveno VI and expanded Baveno VI criteria performed well in patients with HBV-related cACLD. There was no significant difference on diagnostic performance of these non-invasive criteria across the cACLD etiologies. Conclusions These results support use of non-invasive criteria based on LSM and platelets to spare unnecessary EGD in patients with HBV and cACLD. Baveno VI and expanded Baveno VI criteria can improve resource utilization and avoid invasive testing in context of screening EGD for patients with HBV-related cACLD. Funding Agencies None


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