Advances in non-invasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis

Diagnosis and Pathogenesis of Sarcopenia in Chronic Liver Disease Using Liver Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Background Liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is rarely used to evaluate sarcopenia. This study sought to develop new diagnostic criteria for MRI in Asians and investigate the relationship between adipopenia and sarcopenia using MRI proton density fat fraction (PDFF), which is correlated with body fat mass. Methodology This study included 512 patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) who underwent magnetic resonance elastography (MRE). The following parameters were assessed: paraspinal muscle area/height index (PSMI) measured at the level of the superior mesenteric artery and PDFF. The cutoff PSMI and PDFF values for the diagnosis of sarcopenia and adipopenia, respectively, were determined using receiver operating characteristic analysis of Asians with low body mass index. Results Among patients with CLD, the prevalence rates of sarcopenia and adipopenia were 25% and 17%, respectively. We found that sarcopenia increased from stage 3 fibrosis and was inversely correlated with steatosis grade. Multivariate analysis found that MRI-PDFF was associated with sarcopenia. The Kaplan-Meier method in cirrhosis (n = 122) showed that the non-sarcopenia, sarcopenia, and sarcopenia/adipopenia groups had three-year survival rates of 97%, 55% (p < 0.01), and 23%, respectively. The Cox proportional hazards model identified the Child-Pugh score and sarcopenia/adipopenia as independent prognostic factors. Conclusions The new diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia confirmed that the prognosis of cirrhosis can be stratified. Furthermore, sarcopenia with adipopenia was shown to be a phenotype of severe sarcopenia in cirrhosis, and screening for sarcopenia should include cases in the precirrhotic stage.

Trends in indirect liver function marker testing in Wales from 2000 to 2017 and their association with age and sex: an observational study

Objective

If non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis were recorded frequently enough in clinical practice, it might be feasible to use them for opportunistic community screening for liver disease. We aimed to determine their current pattern of usage in the national primary care population in Wales.

Design

Using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank at Swansea University (2000–2017), we quantified the frequency of common liver blood tests (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), platelet count and albumin) used in fibrosis marker algorithms. We examined measurement variation by age and sex.

Results

During the 18-year study period, there were 2 145 178 adult patients with at least one blood test available for analysis. Over the study period, the percentage of SAIL patients receiving an ALT test in each year increased from 2% to 33%, with platelet count and albumin measurement increasing by a similar factor. AST testing, although initially rising, had decreased to 1% by the end of the study. AST and ALT values varied by age and sex, particularly in males with the upper normal range of ALT values decreasing rapidly from 90 U/L at age 30 to 45 U/L by age 80.

Conclusion

The reduction in AST testing to only 1% of the adult population limits the use of many non-invasive liver marker algorithms. To enable widespread screening, alternative algorithms for liver fibrosis that do not depend on AST should be developed. Liver fibrosis markers should be modified to include age-specific and sex-specific normal ranges.

2-Step PLT16-AST44 method: Simplified liver fibrosis detection system in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

AIM

Accurate detection of the hepatic fibrosis stage is essential to estimate the outcome of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Many formulas, biomarkers, and imaging tests are being developed to predict advanced liver fibrosis without performing a liver biopsy. However, these tests do not have high efficiency in detecting early-stage hepatic fibrosis. Therefore, we aimed to detect the presence of hepatic fibrosis (≥F1) merely by using only standard clinical markers.

METHODS

A total of 436 patients with NAFLD who underwent liver biopsy were retrospectively enrolled as the discovery cohort (316 patients) and the validation cohort (120 patients). Liver biopsy and laboratory data were matched to extract simple parameters for identifying ≥F1.

RESULTS

We developed a novel simplified ≥F1 detecting system, designated as 2-Step PLT16-AST44 method, where (1) PLT of 16 × 104 /μl or less, or (2) PLT greater than 16 × 104 /μl and AST greater than 44 U/L is determined as having ≥F1 fibrosis. The 2-Step PLT16-AST44 method had a sensitivity of 68%, a specificity of 90%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 97%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 40%, and an accuracy of 72% to detect ≥F1 fibrosis in the discovery cohort. Validation studies further supported these results. Despite its simplicity, the 2-Step PLT16-AST44 method's power to detect ≥F1 fibrosis in total NAFLD patients was comparable to hyaluronic acid, type 4 collagen 7S, FIB-4, and APRI.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose the 2-Step PLT16-AST44 method as a simple and beneficial early-stage hepatic fibrosis detection system.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Liver Fibrosis in People Living With HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives

It is unclear if a high level of alcohol consumption is a risk factor for liver fibrosis for people living with HIV (PLWH). This study systematically summarizes the risk relationship between different alcohol consumption and the incidence of liver fibrosis among PLWH.

Methods

We identified potential studies by searching the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science Library, and CNKI databases up to September 26th, 2021. Observation studies in PLWH that evaluated the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of liver fibrosis and estimated the effect of alcohol with pooled odds ratios (pooled ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were included.

Results

There were total 15 studies included in data analysis. Three studies were set up as cohort studies and the other twelve were cross-sectional studies. Our study was based on 22,676 individuals and 2,729 liver fibrosis cases from 15 studies. Alcohol abuse is a significant risk factor of liver fibrosis (pooled OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.59-3.17, p < 0.05) among PLWH. Daily alcohol consumption > 50 g can elevate the risk of liver fibrosis (pooled OR = 3.10, 95% CI: 2.02-4.73, p < 0.05) among PLWH. However, high-risk alcohol consumption determined by AUDIT-C (AUDIT-C ≥ 4) had little or no effect on subsequent liver fibrosis risk. Further, alcohol consumption > 50 g is also a risk factor to liver fibrosis in PLWH co-infected with HCV (pooled OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.62-3.80, p < 0.05) and in HIV mono-infected (pooled OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.00-3.43, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of liver fibrosis in PLWH. HCV co-infection with alcohol abuse could possibly induce a higher risk of liver fibrosis than HIV mono-infected patients.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO, identifier (CRD42021272604).

Epigenetics of alcohol-related liver diseases

Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) is a primary cause of chronic liver disease in the United States. Despite advances in the diagnosis and management of ARLD, it remains a major public health problem associated with significant morbidity and mortality, emphasising the need to adopt novel approaches to the study of ARLD and its complications. Epigenetic changes are increasingly being recognised as contributing to the pathogenesis of multiple disease states. Harnessing the power of innovative technologies for the study of epigenetics (e.g., next-generation sequencing, DNA methylation assays, histone modification profiling and computational techniques like machine learning) has resulted in a seismic shift in our understanding of the pathophysiology of ARLD. Knowledge of these techniques and advances is of paramount importance for the practicing hepatologist and researchers alike. Accordingly, in this review article we will summarise the current knowledge about alcohol-induced epigenetic alterations in the context of ARLD, including but not limited to, DNA hyper/hypo methylation, histone modifications, changes in non-coding RNA, 3D chromatin architecture and enhancer-promoter interactions. Additionally, we will discuss the state-of-the-art techniques used in the study of ARLD (e.g. single-cell sequencing). We will also highlight the epigenetic regulation of chemokines and their proinflammatory role in the context of ARLD. Lastly, we will examine the clinical applications of epigenetics in the diagnosis and management of ARLD.

Magnetic resonance elastography plus Fibrosis-4 versus FibroScan-aspartate aminotransferase in detection of candidates for pharmacological treatment of NASH-related fibrosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Patients with NAFLD with significant hepatic fibrosis (Stage ≥ 2) are at increased risk of liver-related morbidity and are candidates for pharmacologic therapies. In this study, we compared the diagnostic accuracy of MEFIB (the combination of magnetic resonance elastography [MRE] and Fibrosis-4 [FIB-4]) and FAST (FibroScan-aspartate aminotransferase; combined liver stiffness measurement by vibration-controlled transient elastography, controlled attenuation parameter, and aspartate aminotransferase) for detecting significant fibrosis.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

This prospective cohort study included 234 consecutive patients with NAFLD who underwent liver biopsy, MRE, and FibroScan at the University of California San Diego (UCSD cohort) and an independent cohort (N = 314) from Yokohama City University, Japan. The primary outcome was diagnostic accuracy for significant fibrosis (Stage ≥ 2). The proportions of significant fibrosis in the UCSD and Yokohama cohorts were 29.5% and 66.2%, respectively. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (95% CI) of MEFIB (0.860 [0.81-0.91]) was significantly higher than that of FAST (0.757 [0.69-0.82]) in the UCSD cohort (p = 0.005), with consistent results in the Yokohama cohort (AUROC, 0.899 [MEFIB] versus 0.724 [FAST]; p < 0.001). When used as the rule-in criteria (MEFIB, MRE ≥ 3.3 kPa and FIB-4 ≥ 1.6; FAST ≥ 0.67), the positive predictive value for significant fibrosis was 91.2%-96.0% for MEFIB and 74.2%-89.2% for FAST. When used as the rule-out criteria (MEFIB, MRE < 3.3 kPa and FIB-4 < 1.6; FAST ≤ 0.35), the negative predictive value for significant fibrosis was 85.6%-92.8% for MEFIB and 57.8%-88.3% for FAST.

CONCLUSIONS

MEFIB has higher diagnostic accuracy than FAST for significant fibrosis in NAFLD, and our results support the utility of a two-step strategy for detecting significant fibrosis in NAFLD.

Non-invasive evaluation of response to obeticholic acid in patients with NASH: Results from the REGENERATE study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic, progressive fibrotic liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis. While liver biopsy is considered the reference standard for the histologic diagnosis of NASH and staging of fibrosis, its use in clinical practice is limited. Non-invasive tests (NITs) are increasingly being used to identify and stage liver fibrosis in patients with NASH, and several can assess liver-related outcomes. We report changes in various NITs in patients treated with obeticholic acid (OCA) or placebo in the phase III REGENERATE study.

METHODS

Patients with NASH and fibrosis stage F2 or F3 (n = 931) were randomized (1:1:1) to receive placebo, OCA 10 mg, or OCA 25 mg once daily. Various NITs based on clinical chemistry and/or imaging were evaluated at baseline and throughout the study.

RESULTS

Rapid, sustained reductions from baseline in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase levels, as well as in Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), FibroTest, FibroMeter, and FibroScan-AST scores were observed in OCA-treated vs. placebo-treated patients. Reduction in liver stiffness by vibration-controlled transient elastography was observed in the OCA 25 mg group vs. the placebo group at Month 18. NIT changes were associated with shifts in histologic fibrosis stage. The greatest improvements were observed in patients with ≥1-stage fibrosis improvement; however, improvements in ALT, AST, FIB-4, and FibroTest were also observed in OCA-treated patients whose histologic fibrosis remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the REGENERATE Month 18 interim analysis, rapid and sustained improvements in various NITs were observed with OCA treatment. Dynamic changes in selected NITs separated histologic responders from non-responders. These results suggest that NITs may be useful in assessing histologic response to OCA therapy. CLINICALTRIALS.

GOV NUMBER

NCT02548351 LAY SUMMARY: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic, progressive liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis. To diagnose and assess liver fibrosis (scarring) in patients with NASH, non-invasive tests (NITs) are increasingly being used rather than liver biopsy, which is invasive, expensive, and can be risky. In the REGENERATE study, which is evaluating the effects of obeticholic acid vs. placebo in patients with NASH, various NITs were also evaluated. This analysis shows that improvements in levels of certain blood components, as well as favorable results of ultrasound imaging and proprietary tests of liver function, were associated with improvements in liver fibrosis after treatment with obeticholic acid, suggesting that NITs may be useful alternatives to liver biopsy in assessing NASH patients' response to therapy.

Understanding Cystic Fibrosis Comorbidities and Their Impact on Nutritional Management

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic, multisystem disease with multiple comorbidities that can significantly affect nutrition and quality of life. Maintaining nutritional adequacy can be challenging in people with cystic fibrosis and has been directly associated with suboptimal clinical outcomes. Comorbidities of CF can result in significantly decreased nutritional intake and intestinal absorption, as well as increased metabolic demands. It is crucial to utilize a multidisciplinary team with expertise in CF to optimize growth and nutrition, where patients with CF and their loved ones are placed in the center of the care model. Additionally, with the advent of highly effective modulators (HEMs), CF providers have begun to identify previously unrecognized nutritional issues, such as obesity. Here, we will review and summarize commonly encountered comorbidities and their nutritional impact on this unique population.

Antiplatelet drugs and liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis results from an imbalance between extracellular matrix formation and degradation. The background of liver fibrosis is chronic inflammation and subsequent microcirculation disturbance including microthrombosis. Platelets actively participate in liver fibrosis not only as a part of the clotting system but also by releasing granules containing important mediators. In fact, platelets may play a dual role in the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis as they are able to stimulate regeneration as well as aggravate the destruction of the liver. Recent studies revealed that antiplatelet therapy correlates with inhibition of liver fibrosis. However, liver impairment is associated with extensive coagulation disorders thus the safety of antiplatelet therapy is an area for detailed exploration. In this review, the role of platelets in liver fibrosis and accompanying hemostatic disorders are discussed. Additionally, results of animal and human studies on antiplatelet drugs in liver disorders and their potential therapeutic utility are presented.

Advances in fibrosis biomarkers in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects a quarter of the adult world population and the degree of liver fibrosis represents the best predictor of the development of liver-related outcomes. Easily applicable and well performing non-invasive fibrosis tests can overcome the limitations of liver biopsy and are of paramount importance to identify at-risk subjects in clinical practice. While tests with optimal performance and ease of use do not exist at this stage, available markers can be divided in three broad groups: simple serum tests, complex serum tests and elastographic methods. Simple scores (such as Fibrosis-4 and NAFLD Fibrosis Score) are based on readily available biochemical data and clinical features, while complex/proprietary tests (such as Fibrotest, Enhanced Liver Fibrosis and Hepascore) directly measure markers of fibrogenesis and fibrolysis, but have higher costs. Elastography techniques estimate the degree of fibrosis from liver stiffness and are based on either ultrasound or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MR elastography has better performance compared with sonographic techniques and is not affected by obesity and inflammation, but is highly costly and less available. In general, non-invasive tests are able to exclude the presence of fibrosis, but their positive predictive value is low to moderate and they lead to a high number of indeterminate results. In this context, a combination of different tests might increase accuracy while reducing gray-zone results. Their ability to predict future events and response to treatment is suboptimal and needs to be studied further. Finally, recent studies have tried different approaches, spanning from "omics" to the microbiome and micro-RNAs, with some promising results.

Cardio-psycho-metabolic outcomes of bariatric surgery: design and baseline of the WAS trial

Obesity is a rapidly emerging health problem and an established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Bariatric surgery profoundly reduces body weight and mitigates sequelae of obesity. The open, randomized controlled Würzburg Adipositas Studie (WAS) trial compares the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) vs psychotherapy-supported lifestyle modification in morbidly obese patients. The co-primary endpoint addresses 1-year changes in cardiovascular function (peak VO2 during cardiopulmonary exercise testing) and the quality of life (QoL) (Short-Form-36 physical functioning scale). Prior to randomization, all included patients underwent a multimodal anti-obesity treatment for 6-12 months. Thereafter, the patients were randomized and followed through month 12 to collect the primary endpoints. Afterwards, patients in the lifestyle group could opt for surgery, and final visit was scheduled for all patients 24 months after randomization. Sample size calculation suggested to enroll 90 patients in order to arrive at minimally 22 patients per group evaluable for the primary endpoint. Secondary objectives were to quantify changes in body weight, left ventricular hypertrophy, systolic and diastolic function (by echocardiography and cardiac MRI), functional brain MRI, psychometric scales, and endothelial and metabolic function. WAS enrolled 93 patients (72 women, median age 38 years, BMI 47.5 kg/m2) exhibiting a relevantly compromised exercise capacity (median peakVO2 18.3 mL/min/kg) and the QoL (median physical functioning scale 50). WAS is the first randomized controlled trial focusing on the effects of RYGB on cardiovascular function beyond hypertension. In addition, it will provide a wealth of high-quality data on the cerebral, psychiatric, hepatic, and metabolic function in obese patients after RYGB.

Hepatic fibrosis 2022: Unmet needs and a blueprint for the future

Steady progress over four decades toward understanding the pathogenesis and clinical consequences of hepatic fibrosis has led to the expectation of effective antifibrotic drugs, yet none has been approved. Thus, an assessment of the field is timely, to clarify priorities and accelerate progress. Here, we highlight the successes to date but, more importantly, identify gaps and unmet needs, both experimentally and clinically. These include the need to better define cell-cell interactions and etiology-specific elements of fibrogenesis and their link to disease-specific drivers of portal hypertension. Success in treating viral hepatitis has revealed the remarkable capacity of the liver to degrade scar in reversing fibrosis, yet we know little of the mechanisms underlying this response. Thus, there is an exigent need to clarify the cellular and molecular mechanisms of fibrosis regression in order for therapeutics to mimic the liver's endogenous capacity. Better refined and more predictive in vitro and animal models will hasten drug development. From a clinical perspective, current diagnostics are improving but not always biologically plausible or sufficiently accurate to supplant biopsy. More urgently, digital pathology methods that leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence must be validated in order to capture more prognostic information from liver biopsies and better quantify the response to therapies. For more refined treatment of NASH, orthogonal approaches that integrate genetic, clinical, and pathological data sets may yield treatments for specific subphenotypes of the disease. Collectively, these and other advances will strengthen and streamline clinical trials and better link histologic responses to clinical outcomes.

Patient selection for heart transplant: balancing risk

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Heart failure incidence continues to rise despite a relatively static number of available donor hearts. Selecting an appropriate heart transplant candidate requires evaluation of numerous factors to balance patient benefit while maximizing the utility of scarce donor hearts. Recent research has provided new insights into refining recipient risk assessment, providing additional tools to further define and balance risk when considering heart transplantation.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent publications have developed models to assist in risk stratifying potential heart transplant recipients based on cardiac and noncardiac factors. These studies provide additional tools to assist clinicians in balancing individual risk and benefit of heart transplantation in the context of a limited donor organ supply.

SUMMARY

The primary goal of heart transplantation is to improve survival and maximize quality of life. To meet this goal, a careful assessment of patient-specific risks is essential. The optimal approach to patient selection relies on integrating recent prognostication models with a multifactorial assessment of established clinical characteristics, comorbidities and psychosocial factors.

Longitudinal association of magnetic resonance elastography-associated liver stiffness with complications and mortality

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has the highest diagnostic accuracy for liver fibrosis; however, the association between MRE-associated liver stiffness and the development of hepatic and extrahepatic complications as well as mortality remains unclear.

AIM

In this study, we investigated the longitudinal association between MRE-associated liver stiffness and complications and mortality.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 2373 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease. All patients received standard of care and the development of complications was assessed every 1-6 months.

RESULTS

Newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), decompensation, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), extrahepatic cancer and death were observed in 99, 117, 73, 77 and 170 patients respectively. In multivariable analysis, the adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) for HCC, decompensation, MACE, extrahepatic cancer and mortality were 1.28 (1.2-1.4), 1.34 (1.3-1.4), 0.96 (0.9-1.1), 1.00 (0.9-1.1) and 1.17 (1.1-1.2), respectively, with each 1-kPa increase in liver stiffness. Similarly, the aHR (95% CI) for HCC, decompensation, MACE, extrahepatic cancer and mortality were 4.20 (2.2-8.2), 67.5 (9.2-492), 0.83 (0.4-1.7), 0.90 (0.5-1.7) and 2.90 (1.6-5.4), respectively, in patients with cirrhosis (>4.7 kPa) compared to those with minimal fibrosis (<3 kPa).

CONCLUSIONS

Increased MRE-associated liver stiffness was associated with increased risk for HCC, decompensation and mortality in a dose-dependent fashion but not with MACE or extrahepatic cancer, implicating a significant role for MRE in liver-related events and mortality; however, further studies are warranted to explore its role in MACE and extrahepatic cancer.

Non-invasive tests of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

ABSTRACT

For the detection of steatosis, quantitative ultrasound imaging techniques have achieved great progress in past years. Magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction is currently the most accurate test to detect hepatic steatosis. Some blood biomarkers correlate with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, but the accuracy is modest. Regarding liver fibrosis, liver stiffness measurement by transient elastography (TE) has high accuracy and is widely used across the world. Magnetic resonance elastography is marginally better than TE but is limited by its cost and availability. Several blood biomarkers of fibrosis have been used in clinical trials and hold promise for selecting patients for treatment and monitoring treatment response. This article reviews new developments in the non-invasive assessment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Accumulating evidence suggests that various non-invasive tests can be used to diagnose NAFLD, assess its severity, and predict the prognosis. Further studies are needed to determine the role of the tests as monitoring tools. We cannot overemphasize the importance of context in selecting appropriate tests.

A New Biomarker of Fecal Bacteria for Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer

Background

The intestinal flora is correlated with the occurrence of colorectal cancer. We evaluate a new predictive model for the non-invasive diagnosis of colorectal cancer based on intestinal flora to verify the clinical application prospects of the intestinal flora as a new biomarker in non-invasive screening of colorectal cancer.

Methods

Subjects from two independent Asian cohorts (cohort I, consisting of 206 colorectal cancer and 112 healthy subjects; cohort II, consisting of 67 colorectal cancer and 54 healthy subjects) were included. A probe-based duplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) determination was established for the quantitative determination of candidate bacterial markers.

Results

We screened through the gutMEGA database to identify potential non-invasive biomarkers for colorectal cancer, including Prevotella copri (Pc), Gemella morbillorum (Gm), Parvimonas micra (Pm), Cetobacterium somerae (Cs), and Pasteurella stomatis (Ps). A predictive model with good sensitivity and specificity was established as a new diagnostic tool for colorectal cancer. Under the best cutoff value that maximizes the sum of sensitivity and specificity, Gm and Pm had better specificity and sensitivity than other target bacteria. The combined detection model of five kinds of bacteria showed better diagnostic ability than Gm or Pm alone (AUC = 0.861, P < 0.001). These findings were further confirmed in the independent cohort II. Particularly, the combination of bacterial markers and fecal immunochemical test (FIT) improved the diagnostic ability of the five bacteria (sensitivity 67.96%, specificity 89.29%) for patients with colorectal cancer.

Conclusion

Fecal-based colorectal cancer-related bacteria can be used as new non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers of colorectal cancer. Simultaneously, the molecular biomarkers in fecal samples are similar to FIT, have the applicability in combination with other detection methods, which is expected to improve the sensitivity of diagnosis for colorectal cancer, and have a promising prospect of clinical application.

Magnetic Resonance Elastography for the Clinical Risk Assessment of Fibrosis, Cirrhosis, and Portal Hypertension in Patients With NAFLD

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly becoming one of the most common causes of liver disease. The progressive subtype of NAFLD, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), leads to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and mortality. Fibrosis is the strongest predictor for complications. Due to the invasive nature of liver biopsy, noninvasive testing methods have emerged to detect fibrosis and predict outcomes. Of these modalities, magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has demonstrated the highest accuracy to detect fibrosis. In this review, we will focus on the emerging data regarding MRE and liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and portal hypertension in NAFLD.

Non-invasive methods for imaging hepatic steatosis and their clinical importance in NAFLD

Hepatic steatosis is a key histological feature of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The non-invasive quantification of liver fat is now possible due to advances in imaging modalities. Emerging data suggest that high levels of liver fat and its temporal change, as measured by quantitative non-invasive methods, might be associated with NAFLD progression. Ultrasound-based modalities have moderate diagnostic accuracy for liver fat content and are suitable for screening. However, of the non-invasive imaging modalities, MRI-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) has the highest diagnostic accuracy and is used for trial enrolment and to evaluate therapeutic effects in early-phase clinical trials in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In patients with NAFLD without advanced fibrosis, high levels of liver fat are associated with rapid disease progression. Furthermore, changes on MRI-PDFF (≥30% decline relative to baseline) are associated with NAFLD activity score improvement and fibrosis regression. However, an inverse association exists between liver fat and complications of cirrhosis. Liver fat decreases as liver fibrosis progresses towards cirrhosis, and the clinical importance of quantitative measurements of liver fat differs by NAFLD status. As such, patients with NAFLD should be stratified by fibrosis severity to investigate the utility of quantitative measurements of liver fat for assessing NAFLD progression and prognosis.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of incident chronic kidney disease: an updated meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Studies reported a significant association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, whether this risk changes with increasing severity of NAFLD remains uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis of observational studies to quantify the magnitude of the association between NAFLD and risk of incident CKD.

DESIGN

We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus from January 2000 to August 2020 using predefined keywords to identify observational studies with a follow-up duration of ≥1 year, in which NAFLD was diagnosed by blood biomarkers/scores, International Classification of Diseases codes, imaging techniques or biopsy. Data from selected studies were extracted, and meta-analysis was performed using random-effects modelling.

RESULTS

13 studies with 1 222 032 individuals (28.1% with NAFLD) and 33 840 cases of incident CKD stage ≥3 (defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, with or without accompanying overt proteinuria) over a median follow-up of 9.7 years were included. NAFLD was associated with a moderately increased risk of incident CKD (n=10 studies; random-effects HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.33 to 1.54; I2 =60.7%). All risks were independent of age, sex, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and other conventional CKD risk factors. Sensitivity analyses did not alter these findings. Funnel plot did not reveal any significant publication bias.

CONCLUSION

This large and updated meta-analysis indicates that NAFLD is significantly associated with a~1.45-fold increased long-term risk of incident CKD stage ≥3. Further studies are needed to examine the association between the severity of NAFLD and risk of incident CKD.

Potential screening indicators for early diagnosis of NAFLD/MAFLD and liver fibrosis: Triglyceride glucose index-related parameters

IMPORTANCE

Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and triglyceride glucose (TyG) index-related parameters [TyG index, triglyceride glucose-waist circumference (TyG-WC), triglyceride glucose-waist-to-height ratio (TyG-WHtR), and triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI)] are gradually considered as convenient and alternative indicators for insulin resistance in various metabolic diseases, but the specific diagnostic capacity and the comparison of the parameters in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and liver fibrosis remain uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

To comprehensively assess and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the above parameters in NAFLD, MAFLD, and liver fibrosis and identify the appropriate indicators.

METHODS

A total of 1,727 adults were enrolled from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Logistic regressions were used to identify the parameters significantly associated with NAFLD, MAFLD, and liver fibrosis; receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate and compare their diagnostic capacity. Subgroup analyses were conducted to validate the concordance, and the optimal cutoff values were determined according to the Youden's indexes.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed between quartile-stratified HOMA-IR and TyG index-related parameters across the NAFLD, MAFLD, and liver fibrosis (P < 0.05). All variables were significantly predictive of different disease states (P < 0.05). The top three AUC values are TyG-WC, TyG-WHtR, and TyG-BMI with AUCs of 0.815, 0.809, and 0.804 in NAFLD. The optimal cutoff values were 822.34, 4.94, and 237.77, respectively. Similar values and the same trend of the above three indexes could be observed in MAFLD and liver fibrosis. Subgroup analyses showed consistent results with the primary research, despite some heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

TyG-WC, TyG-WHtR, and TyG-BMI can be used for early screening of NAFLD and MAFLD. These three parameters and HOMA-IR were more suitable for assessing metabolic risks and monitoring disease progression in patients with NAFLD.

Shear-Wave Dispersion Slope of the Liver: Effect of Study Protocol and Ascites on the Measurement Applicability

This study aimed to evaluate the shear-wave dispersion (SWD) scanning protocol including the minimum number of measurements and better size of the region of interest (ROI), as well as the influence of ascites on the measurement applicability. Patients who had undergone serial SWD examinations between July 2019 and December 2020 were included. In patients with chronic liver disease (group A), two different ROI sizes were applied, and at least 10 measurements were repeated to determine the minimum number of measurements and better ROI size. In patients with liver failure (group B), failure and unreliable results were compared between patients with and without ascites. A minimum of five measurements when using a 20-mm ROI and six measurements when using a 10-mm ROI were required. Compared with using a 20-mm ROI, a 10-mm ROI showed a higher unreliable rate. The failure and unreliable rates of SWD in patients with ascites were significantly higher than those in patients without ascites. SWD examination required at least five measurements when using a 20-mm ROI and six measurements when using a 10-mm ROI. A larger ROI was associated with higher reliability, and ascites influenced the failure and reliability of the SWD measurement.

Multiparameter magnetic resonance imaging of liver fibrosis in a bile duct ligation mouse model

BACKGROUND

Bile duct ligation (BDL) in animals is a classical method for mimicking cholestatic fibrosis. Although different surgical techniques have been described in rats and rabbits, mouse models can be more cost-effective and reproducible for investigating cholestatic fibrosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has made great advances for noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis. More comprehensive liver fibrotic features of BDL on MRI are important. However, the utility of multiparameter MRI to detect liver fibrosis in a BDL mouse model has not been assessed.

AIM

To evaluate the correlation between the pathological changes and multiparameter MRI characteristics of liver fibrosis in a BDL mouse model.

METHODS

Twenty-eight healthy adult male balb/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: sham, week 2 BDL, week 4 BDL, and week 6 BDL. Multiparameter MRI sequences, included magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, T1-weighted, T2-weighted, T2 mapping, and pre- and post-enhanced T1 mapping, were performed after sham and BDL surgery. Peripheral blood and liver tissue were collected after MRI. For statistical analysis, Student’s t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used.

RESULTS

Four mice died after BDL surgery; seven, six, five and six mice were included separately from the four groups. Signal intensities of liver parenchyma showed no difference on TI- and T2-weighted images. Bile duct volume, ΔT1 value, T2 value, and the rate of liver fibrosis increased steadily in week 2 BDL, week 4 BDL and week 6 BDL groups compared with those in the sham group (P < 0.01). Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate transaminase levels initially surged after surgery, followed by a gradual decline over time. Strong correlations were found between bile duct volume (r = 0.84), T2 value (r = 0.78), ΔT1 value (r = 0.62), and hepatic fibrosis rate (all P < 0.01) in the BDL groups.

CONCLUSION

The BDL mouse model induces changes that can be observed on MRI. The MRI parameters correlate with the hepatic fibrosis rate and allow for detection of cholestatic fibrosis.

Bile Processing Protocol for Improved Proteomic Analysis

One of the critical issues to warrant the success of a proteome-wide analysis is sample preparation. Efficient protein extraction in the absence of interferent material is mandatory to achieve an ample proteome coverage by mass spectrometry. The study of biological fluids is always challenging due to their specific biochemical composition. However, there is increasing interest in their characterization as it will provide proteins that may advice disease setting, state, and progression. In particular, bile is proximal to liver and pancreas, and its study is especially attractive since it might provide valuable information for the clinical management of severe diseases afflicting these organs, which are at an urgent need of new biomarkers. Though previous efforts have been made to optimize protocols to analyze bile proteome, only partial descriptions were achieved due to its complex composition, where proteins represent less than 5% of the organic components. Here we describe a new method that significantly increases the bile proteome coverage while reducing by a factor of six the amount of sample required for the proteomic analysis.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: the interplay between metabolism, microbes and immunity

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged pandemically across the globe and particularly affects patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. NAFLD is a complex systemic disease that is characterised by hepatic lipid accumulation, lipotoxicity, insulin resistance, gut dysbiosis and inflammation. In this review, we discuss how metabolic dysregulation, the gut microbiome, innate and adaptive immunity and their interplay contribute to NAFLD pathology. Lipotoxicity has been shown to instigate liver injury, inflammation and insulin resistance. Synchronous metabolic dysfunction, obesity and related nutritional perturbation may alter the gut microbiome, in turn fuelling hepatic and systemic inflammation by direct activation of innate and adaptive immune responses. We review evidence suggesting that, collectively, these unresolved exogenous and endogenous cues drive liver injury, culminating in liver fibrosis and advanced sequelae of this disorder such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding NAFLD as a complex interplay between metabolism, gut microbiota and the immune response will challenge the clinical perception of NAFLD and open new therapeutic avenues.

Cystic fibrosis associated liver disease in children

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator gene. CF liver disease develops in 5%-10% of patients with CF and is the third leading cause of death among patients with CF after pulmonary disease or lung transplant complications. We review the pathogenesis, clinical presentations, complications, diagnostic evaluation, effect of medical therapies especially CF transmembrane conductance regulator modulators and liver transplantation in CF associated liver disease.

Metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity and the progression of liver fibrosis: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The development of liver fibrosis is the most important predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Little is known regarding the risk factors for the progression of NAFLD to liver fibrosis. The present cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association of liver fibrosis with metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity among patients with NAFLD.

METHODS

The severity of fatty liver was examined using ultrasonography. We used the NAFLD fibrosis score to determine the severity of liver fibrosis. Anthropometric indices, physical activity, and body composition were assessed. Blood samples were collected to determine serum metabolic parameters. Participants without any component of metabolic syndrome and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) <2.5 were considered as metabolically healthy. To examine the association of liver fibrosis with metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity, multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were applied.

RESULTS

The current study included a total of 246 patients with NAFLD and low probability of fibrosis. 46.3% of subjects were metabolically healthy and 53.7% were metabolically unhealthy. Among metabolically healthy subjects, multivariable-adjusted ORs (CIs) for worsening of NAFLD fibrosis score comparing body mass indexes (BMIs) 23.0-24.9, 25-29.9, and ≥30 with a BMI=18.5-22.9 kg/m² were 1.28 (1.09-1.56), 1.99 (1.49-2.63), and 3.96 (2.89-4.71), respectively. The corresponding ORs (95% CIs) among metabolically unhealthy subjects were 1.39 (1.32-1.64), 2.27 (1.98-2.49), and 4.11 (3.12-4.93), respectively. Moreover, in both healthy and unhealthy individuals, higher percentages of body fat and waist circumference were significantly associated with worsening of NAFLD fibrosis score.

CONCLUSION

Excess body fat contributes to the progression of liver fibrosis regardless of metabolic health status.

A Stepwise Algorithmic Approach and External Validation Study for Noninvasive Prediction of Advanced Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Advanced F3-4 fibrosis predicts liver-related mortality in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Noninvasive tests, designed to rule in/out advanced fibrosis, are limited by indeterminates, necessitating biopsy. We aimed to determine whether stepwise combinations of noninvasive serum-based tests and elastography (VCTE) could predict F3-4, reduce indeterminates, and decrease liver biopsies.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Five hundred forty-one biopsy-proven NAFLD cases were identified between 2010 and 2018 from two Canadian centers. Characteristics of training (n = 407)/validation (n = 134) cohorts included: males 54%/59%; mean age 48.5/52.5 years; mean body mass index 32.3/33.6 kg/m²; diabetes mellitus 30%/34%; and F3-4 48%/43%. For training/validation cohorts, area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) for FIB-4, AST-platelet ratio index (APRI), NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), BARD score, and AST/ALT ratio ranged from 0.70 to 0.83/0.68 to 0.81, with indeterminates 25-39%/34-45%, for F3-4. In the training cohort, parallel FIB-4 + NFS had good accuracy (AUROC = 0.81) but was limited by 38% indeterminates and 16% misclassified. Sequential FIB-4 → NFS reduced indeterminates to 10%, and FIB-4 → VCTE to 0%, misclassified 20-22%, while maintaining high specificity (0.88-0.92) and accuracy (AUROC 0.75-0.78) for combined cohorts. Liver biopsy could have been avoided in 27-29% of patients using sequential algorithms.

CONCLUSIONS

Sequential FIB-4 ➔ NFS/VCTE predicts F3-4 with high specificity and good accuracy, while reducing indeterminates and need for biopsy. Parallel algorithms are limited by high indeterminates. Sequential FIB-4 ➔ NFS had similar accuracy to VCTE-containing algorithms. Validation in low-prevalence cohorts may allow for potential use in community or resource-limited areas for risk stratification.

What Does the Future Hold for Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: Diagnostic Strategies and Treatment Options in 2021 and Beyond?

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can progress to cirrhosis and its complications, including hepatocellular carcinoma. Given that the majority of patients with NASH are asymptomatic, developing screening strategies to identify those individuals at risk for progressive NASH remains a highly unmet need. Furthermore, noninvasive tests that accurately predict disease progression as part of the natural history of NASH or regression in response to treatment are urgently needed to decrease the reliance on repeat liver biopsies. To date, there are no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for NASH that can resolve steatohepatitis and lead to fibrosis regression. The lack of FDA-approved therapy has led to apathy in diagnosis and referral for specialty care. However, several therapeutic agents are rapidly progressing through the different phases of clinical trials with several already in phase 3 programs. In this review, we provide a summary of recent developments in NASH diagnostics and therapeutics that are likely to shape the future management of this underdiagnosed and undertreated disease.

Insights into Nonalcoholic Fatty-Liver Disease Heterogeneity

The acronym nonalcoholic fatty-liver disease (NAFLD) groups a heterogeneous patient population. Although in many patients the primary driver is metabolic dysfunction, a complex and dynamic interaction of different factors (i.e., sex, presence of one or more genetic variants, coexistence of different comorbidities, diverse microbiota composition, and various degrees of alcohol consumption among others) takes place to determine disease subphenotypes with distinct natural history and prognosis and, eventually, different response to therapy. This review aims to address this topic through the analysis of existing data on the differential contribution of known factors to the pathogenesis and clinical expression of NAFLD, thus determining the different clinical subphenotypes observed in practice. To improve our understanding of NAFLD heterogeneity and the dominant drivers of disease in patient subgroups would predictably impact on the development of more precision-targeted therapies for NAFLD.

Targeting the Tumor Extracellular Matrix by the Natural Molecule 4-Methylumbelliferone: A Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapeutic Strategy

In antineoplastic therapy, one of the challenges is to adjust the treatment to the needs of each patient and reduce the toxicity caused by conventional antitumor strategies. It has been demonstrated that natural products with antitumoral properties are less toxic than chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Also, using already developed drugs allows developing substantially less costly methods for the discovery of new treatments than traditional drug development. Candidate molecules proposed for drug repositioning include 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU), an orally available dietetic product, derivative of coumarin and mainly found in the plant family Umbelliferae or Apiaceae. 4-MU specifically inhibits the synthesis of glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA), which is its main mechanism of action. This agent reduces the availability of HA substrates and inhibits the activity of different HA synthases. However, an effect independent of HA synthesis has also been observed. 4-MU acts as an inhibitor of tumor growth in different types of cancer. Particularly, 4-MU acts on the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of tumor cells and inhibits the progression of cancer stem cells and the development of drug resistance. In addition, the effect of 4-MU impacts not only on tumor cells, but also on other components of the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, 4-MU can potentially act on immune, fibroblast and endothelial cells, and pro-tumor processes such as angiogenesis. Most of these effects are consistent with the altered functions of HA during tumor progression and can be interrupted by the action of 4-MU. While the potential advantage of 4-MU as an adjunct in cancer therapy could improve therapeutic efficacy and reduce toxicities of other antitumoral agents, the greatest challenge is the lack of scientific evidence to support its approval. Therefore, crucial human clinical studies have yet to be done to respond to this need. Here, we discuss and review the possible applications of 4-MU as an adjunct in conventional antineoplastic therapies, to achieve greater therapeutic success. We also describe the main proposed mechanisms of action that promote an increase in the efficacy of conventional antineoplastic strategies in different types of cancer and prospects that promote 4-MU repositioning and application in cancer therapy.

LECT2, A Novel and Direct Biomarker of Liver Fibrosis in Patients With CHB

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with severe liver fibrosis would be more likely to progress to a poorer prognosis. Treatment is considered once the liver fibrosis reaches significant liver fibrosis (≥S2). Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2 (LECT2) has been shown to contribute to liver fibrosis progression. No research has focused on the role of LECT2 in liver fibrosis in CHB patients. This study enrolled 227 CHB patients and divided them into the training group (n = 147) and validation group (n = 80), respectively. The expression of LECT2 in serum, protein and mRNA of the human liver tissues was detected to analyze the possible associations between LECT2 and liver fibrosis. A receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to estimate the efficacy of LECT2 for predicting liver fibrosis. The data showed that there was a positive relationship between LECT2 and the progression of liver fibrosis. In the training group, LECT2 was demonstrated to have better effectiveness than APRI and FIB-4. The AUC was 0.861, 0.698, and 0.734 for significant liver fibrosis, and 0.855, 0.769, and 0.752 for advanced liver fibrosis. Besides, the efficacy of LECT2 in different statuses of patients with CHB was examined and the effectiveness of LECT2 had also been confirmed in the validation group. All the results confirmed that LECT2 could act as a perfect predictor and thus offers a novel and direct biomarker to estimate liver fibrosis more accurately.

Diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional shear wave elastography and transient elastography in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

INTRODUCTION

Two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) and vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) provide noninvasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis. We compared performance of 2D-SWE and VCTE for fibrosis detection in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS

We performed a prospective study of adults with NAFLD who underwent 2D-SWE, VCTE, and liver biopsy analysis (using Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network scoring system). The primary outcome was hepatic fibrosis (stage ⩾ 1); secondary outcomes included dichotomized fibrosis stages. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analyses were used to compare 2D-SWE and VCTE performance.

RESULTS

A total of 114 adults with a median BMI of 31.2 kg/m² were included. The VCTE was better than 2D-SWE for the detection of fibrosis (AUROC: 0.81 versus 0.72, p = 0.03). The VCTE detected fibrosis stage 2, 3, or 4 with AUROCs of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.80-0.93), 0.91 (95% CI, 0.82-0.99), and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.91-1.00). The 2D-SWE detected fibrosis stage 2, 3, or 4 with AUROCs of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.76-0.92), 0.88 (95% CI, 0.81-0.96), and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.86-0.99).

CONCLUSION

In a prospective study including more than 100 adults with NAFLD, we found VCTE to be more accurate than 2D-SWE in detecting fibrosis; these modalities, however, are comparable in assessing for higher stages of fibrosis.

APASL clinical practice guideline on hepatitis B reactivation related to the use of immunosuppressive therapy

BACKGROUND & AIM

Hepatitis B reactivation related to the use of immunosuppressive therapy remains a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality in hepatitis B endemic Asia-Pacific region. This clinical practice guidelines aim to assist clinicians in all disciplines involved in the use of immunosuppressive therapy to effectively prevent and manage hepatitis B reactivation.

METHODS

All publications related to hepatitis B reactivation with the use of immunosuppressive therapy since 1975 were reviewed. Advice from key opinion leaders in member countries/administrative regions of Asian-Pacific Association for the study of the liver was collected and synchronized. Immunosuppressive therapy was risk-stratified according to its reported rate of hepatitis B reactivation.

RECOMMENDATIONS

We recommend the necessity to screen all patients for hepatitis B prior to the initiation of immunosuppressive therapy and to administer pre-emptive nucleos(t)ide analogues to those patients with a substantial risk of hepatitis and acute-on-chronic liver failure due to hepatitis B reactivation.

A novel noninvasive formula for predicting cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Evaluating liver fibrosis is crucial for disease severity assessment, treatment decisions, and hepatocarcinogenic risk prediction among patients with chronic hepatitis C. In this retrospective multicenter study, we aimed to construct a novel model formula to predict cirrhosis. A total of 749 patients were randomly allocated to training and validation sets at a ratio of 2:1. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was made via transient elastography using FibroScan. Patients with LSM ≥12.5 kPa were regarded as having cirrhosis. The best model formula for predicting cirrhosis was constructed based on factors significantly and independently associated with LSM (≥12.5 kPa) using multivariate regression analysis. Among the 749 patients, 198 (26.4%) had LSM ≥12.5 kPa. In the training set, multivariate analysis identified logarithm natural (ln) type IV collagen 7S, ln hyaluronic acid, and ln Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-Mac-2 BP) as the factors that were significantly and independently associated with LSM ≥12.5 kPa. Thus, the formula was constructed as follows: score = -6.154 + 1.166 × ln type IV collagen 7S + 0.526 × ln hyaluronic acid + 1.069 × WFA+-Mac-2 BP. The novel formula yielded the highest area under the curve (0.882; optimal cutoff, -0.381), specificity (81.5%), positive predictive values (62.6%), and predictive accuracy (81.6%) for predicting LSM ≥12.5 kPa among fibrosis markers and indices. These results were almost similar to those in the validated set, indicating the reproducibility and validity of the novel formula. The novel formula scores were significantly, strongly, and positively correlated with LSM values in both the training and validation data sets (correlation coefficient, 0.721 and 0.762; p = 2.67 × 10-81 and 1.88 × 10-48, respectively). In conclusion, the novel formula was highly capable of diagnosing cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C and exhibited better diagnostic performance compared to conventional fibrosis markers and indices.

Care of the Patient With Abnormal Liver Test Results

Liver tests are commonly performed in primary care and may signal the presence of acute or chronic liver disease. Abnormal results are defined by standardized rather than individual laboratory thresholds and must be interpreted in the context of a patient's history and examination. The pattern and severity of liver injury may provide clues about the cause of disease and should guide diagnostic evaluation with serologic testing and liver imaging. A systematic, stepwise approach to the evaluation and management of abnormal liver test results is recommended to optimize high-value care.

Movement Disorders and Liver Disease

The association of movement disorders with structural or functional hepatic disease occurs in three principal scenarios: (1) combined involvement of both organ systems from a single disease entity, (2) nervous system dysfunction resulting from exposure to toxic compounds in the setting of defective hepatic clearance, or (3) hepatic and/or neurological injury secondary to exposure to exogenous drugs or toxins. An important early step in the workup of any patient with combined movement disorders and liver disease is the exclusion of Wilson's disease. Diagnostic delay remains common for this treatable disorder, and this has major implications for patient outcomes. Thereafter, a structured approach integrating variables such as age of onset, tempo of progression, nature and severity of liver involvement, movement disorder phenomenology, exposure to drugs/toxins and laboratory/neuroimaging findings is key to ensuring timely diagnosis and disease‐specific therapy. Herein, we provide an overview of disorders which may manifest with a combination of movement disorders and liver disease, structured under the three headings as detailed above. In each section, the most common disorders are discussed, along with important clinical pearls, suggested diagnostic workup, differential diagnoses and where appropriate, treatment considerations.

Metabolic risk factors, genetic predisposition, and risk of severe liver disease in Chinese: a prospective study of 0.5 million people

BACKGROUND

Metabolic risk factors have been shown to be associated with severe liver disease (SLD) in Chinese populations. However, there is limited evidence on the combined impact of these factors, or the genetic variants associated with SLD.

OBJECTIVES

We examined the associations of combined metabolic risk factors with risks of SLD, both overall and by genetic predisposition to SLD.

METHODS

The study population involved 486,828 participants of the prospective China Kadoorie Biobank aged 30-79 years from 10 diverse areas in China without a history of cancer or liver disease at baseline. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted HRs for SLD associated with combined metabolic risk factors (central adiposity, physical inactivity, and diabetes) by stratum of genetic risk [assessed separately by a PNPLA3 variant (rs738409) and a BMI genetic risk score].

RESULTS

During ∼10 years of follow-up, 3279 incident cases of SLD were recorded. The overall mean BMI was 23.8 kg/m2 (SD, 3.4 kg/m2), and 5.9% participants had diabetes. Compared with those with 3 metabolic factors, participants with 2, 1, and 0 metabolic factors had 31% (HR, 0.69; 95% CI: 0.65-0.73), 43% (HR, 0.57; 95% CI: 0.53-0.60), and 52% (HR, 0.48; 95% CI: 0.42-0.56) lower risks of SLD, respectively. For both BMI and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease variants, participants with fewer metabolic factors had a lower risk of SLD, lower levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase, and lower fatty liver index scores, in participants with low and high genetic risks (P value for interaction > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In relatively lean Chinese adults, individuals with fewer metabolic risk factors had a lower relative risk of SLD and a more favorable profile of liver biomarkers across all strata of genetic risk.

How to interpret and manage abnormal liver blood test results in older people

Ageing impairs liver function and reduces the liver's regenerative capacity. With the predicted increase in the older population, the burden of liver disease will proportionally rise in this age group. Elevated levels of liver enzymes in an otherwise asymptomatic older individual (≥65 years) are a common observation and positively associated with the metabolic syndrome, whereas a decline in albumin levels is linked with a rise in all-cause and liver-specific mortality. Deranged liver function tests do not always indicate liver disease, nor do normal liver function tests exclude liver disease. Therefore, clinicians need to consider individual patient risk factors during the assessment of abnormal liver function tests. This article discusses various liver function tests, their pathophysiology, and the approach to interpret and manage common abnormalities in liver function test results and liver disease in the older population.

Comparison of diffusion-weighted imaging and MR elastography in staging liver fibrosis: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To compare the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), gradient-recalled echo-based magnetic resonance elastography (GRE-MRE), and spin-echo echo-planar imaging-based MRE (SE-EPI-MRE) in liver fibrosis staging.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was done to collect studies on the performance of DWI, GRE-MRE, and SE-EPI-MRE for diagnosing liver fibrosis. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, positive and negative likelihood ratio, and a summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were estimated with a bivariate random effects model. Subgroup analyses on various study characteristics were performed.

RESULTS

Sixty studies with a total of 6620 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of GRE-MRE and SE-EPI-MRE showed high diagnostic accuracy and did not differ significantly. The area under the summary ROC curve for all stages of fibrosis differed significantly between DWI (0.83-0.88) and either GRE-MRE (0.95-0.97) or SE-EPI-MRE (0.95-0.99). Substantial heterogeneity was detected for all three imaging methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Both GRE-MRE and SE-EPI-MRE are highly accurate for detection of each liver fibrosis stage, with high potential to replace liver biopsy. Although DWI had a moderate accuracy in distinguishing liver fibrosis, it could be regarded as an alternative to MRE, since it is widely available and easily implemented in routine liver MRI.

Current type 2 diabetes, rather than previous gestational diabetes, is associated with liver disease in U.S. Women

AIM

To investigate the relative contribution of previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and current type 2 diabetes (T2D) on the development of liver fibrosis, the strongest predictor of end-stage liver disease.

METHODS

This is a population-based cross-sectional study based on data from the 2017-2018 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We included women age ≥ 20 years that had delivered at least one live birth and had available data on vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE). Liver steatosis and fibrosis were assessed by the median value of controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM), respectively.

RESULTS

Among the 1699 women included in the study, 144 (10.1%, 95% CI 7.7-13.2) reported a previous diagnosis of GDM. Women with previous GDM were younger, had a higher BMI, a higher prevalence of T2D and were significantly older at the time they had the last live birth. Univariate analysis did not show a significant difference between women with and without a prior history of GDM in terms of both steatosis (44.8% vs 39.4%, p = 0.464) and fibrosis (7.5% vs 7.6%, p = 0.854). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that BMI, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase levels, T2D (OR 2.96, 95% CI 1.48-5.93, p < 0.01), HBV and HCV infection were associated with higher odds of significant fibrosis, while previous GDM showed a neutral effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with previous GDM that do not develop overt T2D might not experience a poor hepatic prognosis.

Assessment of subclinical effects of Hepatitis E virus infection in the United States

Some studies have exposed an increase in liver cirrhosis in hepatitis E seropositive individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus. The interrelation between HEV seroprevalence and risk of liver disease in immune-competent individuals remains under- investigated. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data containing >30,000 subjects, we addressed if HEV exposure leads to subclinical effects that can influence liver health. We determined the association between HEV IgM and ALT and that of HEV IgG and Fib-4-a composite score reflecting potential liver fibrosis. These analyses were repeated in populations at risk for liver disease as well as among different races and ethnicities. The prevalence of HEV IgG was significantly associated with age as IgG positive individuals were, on average, 20 years older than IgG negative patients. We found a statistically significant increase in the likelihood of having a Fib-4 score >1.45 (significant fibrosis) in those positive for HEV IgG (RR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.05). However, due to the small effect, it is unlikely that this association has clinical significance. Moreover, the effect was not present in those with pre-existing liver disease. We found no association between ALT levels and the presence of HEV IgM or IgG. This is the first study examining subclinical effects of HEV infection in the United States. Our study found that in the general US population, predominantly asymptomatic HEV infections do not contribute to the overall burden of liver disease.

Feasibility and efficiency of European guidelines for NAFLD assessment in patients with type 2 diabetes: A prospective study

AIM

We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of a guidelines-compliant NAFLD assessment algorithm in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS

Consecutive patients aged < 75 newly diagnosed with T2D without coexisting liver disease or excessive alcohol consumption were enrolled. Patients were stratified based on liver enzymes, fatty liver index, ultrasound, fibrosis scores and liver stiffness measurement. Referral rates and positive predictive values (PPVs) for histological non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and significant fibrosis were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 171 enrolled patients (age 59 ± 10.2 years, 42.1% females), 115 (67.3%) were referred to a hepatologist due to abnormal liver enzymes (n = 60) or steatosis plus indeterminate (n = 37) or high NAFLD fibrosis score (n = 18). Liver biopsy was proposed to 30 patients (17.5%), but only 14 accepted, resulting in 12 NASH, one with significant fibrosis. The PPV of hepatological referral was 12/76 (15.8%) for NASH and 1/76 (1.3%) for NASH with significant fibrosis. The PPV of liver biopsy referral was 12/14 (85.7%) for NASH and 1/14 (7.1%) for NASH with significant fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

By applying a guidelines-compliant algorithm, many patients with T2D were referred for hepatological assessment and liver biopsy. Further studies are necessary to refine non-invasive algorithms.

Validation of a two-step approach combining serum biomarkers and liver stiffness measurement to predict advanced fibrosis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The Gut and Obesity in Asia Workgroup recently reported that a two-step approach using fibrosis scores followed by liver stiffness measurement (LSM) could accurately detect patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) having advanced fibrosis in low-risk fibrosis populations. This study aimed to validate the utility of this approach using a Japanese health checkup registry.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included subjects who underwent a health checkup from 2014 to 2019. Using estimated fibrosis stage measured by LSM as a standard, we calculated the percentage of misclassification from assessments made based on fibrosis scores (NAFLD fibrosis score [NFS] or Fibrosis-4 score [FIB-4]) and LSM, alone or in combination.

RESULTS

Of 630 subjects with NAFLD, 4 (0.8%) had advanced fibrosis. In the first-step evaluation, only 21.4-38.0% of subjects needed further testing. This approach was associated with a high specificity of approximately 100% and a negative predictive value of 99.7%. The percentage of misclassification based on NFS or FIB-4 values followed by LSM in all subjects and using LSM after NFS or FIB-4 determination only in subjects with indeterminate/high NFS or FIB-4 values (two-step approach) was 0% and 0.3% and 0.16% and 0.3%, respectively. In addition, very few false negatives occurred for both NFS and FIB-4.

CONCLUSION

The two-step approach helps to identify the subjects with NAFLD who have advanced fibrosis during a routine health checkup and is associated with only a few false negatives.

The Need for Alternatives to Liver Biopsies: Non-Invasive Analytics and Diagnostics

Histology remains essential for the diagnosis and management of many disorders affecting the liver. However, the biopsy procedure itself is associated with a low risk of harm to the patient and cost to the health services; samples may not be adequate and are subject to sampling variation. Furthermore, interpretation often depends on the skill of the pathologist. Increasingly, new techniques are becoming available that are altering the indications for liver biopsy. Many diseases of the liver can be diagnosed and managed using serological and radiological techniques; the degree of fibrosis and fat can often be assessed by serological or imaging techniques and the nature of space occupying lesions defined by serology, imaging and use of liquid biopsy. However, these techniques, too, are subject to limitations: sensitivity and specificity is not always adequate for diagnosis or management; some techniques are expensive and often also require expert interpretation. Although there may be less need for liver biopsy today, histology remains the gold standard as well as an essential tool for the diagnosis and management of many conditions, especially where there are multiple pathologies, or where a diagnosis cannot or has not been made by alternative approaches. Until less invasive techniques become more reliable and accessible, liver histology will remain a key investigation.