Premium
Liver stiffness measured by transient elastography correlates with fibrosis area in liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Author(s) -
Nitta Yoshifumi,
Kawabe Naoto,
Hashimoto Senju,
Harata Masao,
Komura Naruomi,
Kobayashi Kyoko,
Arima Yuko,
Shimazaki Hiroaki,
Nakano Takuji,
Murao Michihito,
Ichino Naohiro,
Osakabe Keisuke,
Aoki Hisako,
Hosoe Yoko,
Sugiyama Hiroko,
Nishikawa Toru,
Yoshioka Kentaro
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/j.1872-034x.2009.00500.x
Subject(s) - transient elastography , fibrosis , medicine , liver biopsy , gastroenterology , biopsy , stage (stratigraphy) , pathology , biology , paleontology
Aim: Liver stiffness (LS) measured by transient elastography (TE) has been reported to correlate with liver fibrosis, which is usually semiquantitatively assessed. In the present study, the fibrosis area was measured by image analysis software in liver biopsy specimens and its correlation with LS was assessed. Methods: LS was measured by TE in all 165 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who underwent liver biopsy consecutively in Fujita Health University Hospital from July 2004 to September 2007. Results: Fibrosis area was significantly correlated with fibrosis stage as assessed by the Metavir score ( ρ = 0.733, P < 0.0001). The optimal cut‐off value of fibrosis area was 1.6% for F > or = 2, 3.1% for F > or = 3, and 3.8–6.4% for F4. LS was significantly correlated with fibrosis stage ( ρ = 0.734, P < 0.0001). The optimal cut‐off value of LS was 7.1 kPa for F > or = 2, 9.6 kPa for F > or = 3 and 11.6–16.9 kPa for F4. Multiple linear regression analysis selected fibrosis area ( P = 0.0002), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ( P = 0.0237), γ ‐glutamyltransferase ( γ ‐GTP) ( P = 0.0114), prothrombin time ( P = 0.0114) and hyaluronic acid ( P < 0.0001) as factors correlating with LS. Conclusion: The correlation between LS and liver fibrosis was confirmed by the objective measurement of fibrosis area. ALT was significantly correlated with LS, suggesting that inflammatory activity also affects LS values. Despite some limitation, LS measurement is a useful method for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis.