title: Non-invasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis in a series of patients with Wilson's Disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Liver biopsy has always represented the standard of reference in hepatic fibrosis assessment. Recently, blood markers and instrumental methods have been proposed for non-invasive assessment. The aim of this study was to validate transient elastography and other non-invasive tests compared to liver histology in Wilson's Disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver stiffness in 35 Wilson's Disease patients was evaluated by Fibroscan, serum fibrosis markers (AST-to-platelet-ratio index and FIB-4) and biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to liver histology, the FibroScan values increased proportionally with progression of the histological fibrosis stage. Significant fibrosis could be predicted with a Fibroscan cut-off value of 6.6 kPa. Advanced fibrosis could be predicted with a FibroScan cut-off value of 8.4 kPa. Serum fibrosis marker values gave good correlation with hepatic stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A FibroScan value of 6.6 kPa was found to be a significant separation limit for differentiating significant fibrosis stages from milder stages and a fibroscan value of 8.4 kPa was found to be a significant separation limit for differentiating advanced fibrosis stages from milder stages. FibroScan values are clinically useful for predicting fibrosis stages and helpful in managing chronic therapy in Wilson's Disease patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Azienda Ospedaliero - Universitaria, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sini
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sorbello
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Civolani
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liggi
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Demelia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D006527:Hepatolenticular Degeneration / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D010976:Platelet Count; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases