title: Noninvasive parameters and hepatic fibrosis scores in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the noninvasive parameters and hepatic fibrosis scores in obese children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 77 children diagnosed with NAFLD via liver biopsy were included and divided into 2 subgroups according to the histopathologic staging of hepatic fibrosis: mild (stage 0-1) vs significant fibrosis (stage 2-4). Clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated in each patient. The aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio, AST/platelet ratio index (APRI), PGA index, Forns index, FIB-4, NAFLD fibrosis score, and pediatric NAFLD fibrosis index (PNFI) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No clinical or biochemical parameter exhibited a significant difference between patients with mild and significant fibrosis. Among noninvasive hepatic fibrosis scores, only APRI and FIB4 revealed a significant difference between patients with mild and significant fibrosis (APRI: 0.67 ± 0.54 vs 0.78 ± 0.38, P = 0.032 and FIB4: 0.24 ± 0.12 vs 0.31 ± 0.21, P = 0.010). The area under the receiving operating characteristic curve of FIB4 was 0.81, followed by Forns index (0.73), APRI (0.70), NAFLD fibrosis score (0.58), AST/ALT ratio (0.53), PGA score (0.45), and PNFI (0.41).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APRI and FIB4 might be useful noninvasive hepatic fibrosis scores for predicting hepatic fibrosis in children with NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Ran
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hae Ryoung
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myung Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Jeong Kee
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Seo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D012372:ROC Curve