title: Proficiency of transient elastography compared to liver biopsy for the assessment of fibrosis in HIV/HBV-coinfected patients.
abstract: Transient elastography (TE) is a noninvasive technique to evaluate liver fibrosis. We compared the performance of TE with liver biopsy (LB) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection. Patients prospectively underwent TE and LB. The diagnosis accuracy of TE was calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for different stages of fibrosis, and optimal cut-off values were defined. A sequential algorithm combining TE with biochemical score (Fibrotest) is proposed. Fifty-seven patients had both TE and LB (median time: 3 days) and two with proven cirrhosis, only TE. Forty-six (78%) were under antiretroviral therapy with anti-HBV drugs in 98%, and 19 (32%) had elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT). A significant correlation was observed between liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and METAVIR fibrosis stages (P < 0.0001). Patients with elevated ALT tended to have higher LSM than those with normal ALT. The areas under the ROC curves were 0.85 for significant fibrosis (≥ F2), 0.92 for advanced fibrosis (≥ F3) and 0.96 for cirrhosis. Using a cut-off of 5.9 kPa for F ≥ 2 and 7.6 kPa for F ≥ 3, the diagnosis accuracy was 83% and 86%, respectively. With an algorithm combining TE and Fibrotest, 97% of patients were well classified for significant fibrosis. Using this algorithm, the need for LB can be reduced by 67%. In HIV/HBV-coinfected patients, most of them with normal ALT under antiretroviral treatment including HBV active drugs, TE was proficient in discriminating moderate to severe fibrosis from minimal liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu, Service d'Hépatogastroentérologie, Lyon, France. patrick.miailhes@chu-lyon.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miailhes
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pradat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chevallier
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lacombe
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bailly
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cotte
authors.forename: M-A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Trabaud
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boibieux
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bottero
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trepo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zoulim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult