Transient elastography to assess hepatic fibrosis in primary biliary cirrhosis.
BACKGROUND
Liver stiffness measurements may have potential for detecting and monitoring hepatic fibrosis in chronic liver disease.


OBJECTIVE
To study the detection, quantification and progression of hepatic fibrosis in primary biliary cirrhosis by liver stiffness measurements.


METHODS
Liver stiffness measurements were generated in 80 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis by applying transient elastography; however, as there were 55 with liver biopsy, histological stage (METAVIR) and liver stiffness measurements were compared only in these 55 patients. The efficiency of liver stiffness measurements in predicting stage of fibrosis was determined from the area under receiver operating characteristics curve analysis.


RESULTS
Of the 80 patients included, 91, 4% were women and their mean age was 56 +/- 12 (s.d.) years. A significant correlation was found (P < 0.05) between histological fibrosis stage (METAVIR) and liver stiffness measurements. The values obtained from area under receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of liver stiffness measurement data were 0.89 for F > 2 and 0.96 for F = 4. Liver stiffness measurements were 9.0 +/- 5.3 and 7.9 +/- 6.0 kPa for patients followed up more than 5 years and less than 5 years, respectively (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, median values of liver stiffness measurements correlated with histological severity of hepatic fibrosis. Liver stiffness measurements appear to be promising for liver fibrosis detection and quantification, as well as monitoring its progression, in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. The progression rate of hepatic fibrosis in our primary biliary cirrhosis patients appears to be slow.
Gómez-Dominguez
E
E
Service of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Mendoza
J
J
García-Buey
L
L
Trapero
M
M
Gisbert
J P
JP
Jones
E A
EA
Moreno-Otero
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000601:surgery; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase