title: Identification of a support vector machine-based biomarker panel with high sensitivity and specificity for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although liver biopsy remains the best diagnostic standard for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), non-invasive tests are eagerly awaited. In this study, we sought to develop a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm to discriminate with high accuracy between subjects with NASH and controls using a blood-based biomarker panel.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 17 biomarkers were measured by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in 136 serum samples from patients with biopsy-proven NASH (n = 60) and subjects with normal ALT and no evidence of fatty liver on ultrasound (n = 76). The database was randomly divided (1:1 fashion) into a discovery set for classification training and in a validation set of the chosen biomarkers in blinded samples. Multivariate analysis was performed by means of SVM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the identification of a group of three most discriminative biomarkers (osteoprotegerin, fibroblast growth factor 21, and M30) in the discovery set, the application of SVM to the validation test resulted in a 92.5% sensitivity and 84.1% specificity for distinguishing subjects with NASH from controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A targeted biomarker profiling combined with a SVM-based pattern identification approach may allow the identification of patients with NASH with clinically relevant accuracy and validity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey; Institute of Gastroenterology, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey. dryusufyilmaz@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eren
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D000089703:Fibroblast Growth Factor-23; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D000089703:Fibroblast Growth Factor-23