Real-world evidence on non-invasive tests and associated cut-offs used to assess fibrosis in routine clinical practice

Envisioning how to advance the MASH field

Since 1980, the cumulative effort of scientists and health-care stakeholders has advanced the prerequisites to address metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a prevalent chronic non-communicable liver disease. This effort has led to, among others, the approval of the first drug specific for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH; formerly known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis). Despite substantial progress, MASLD is still a leading cause of advanced chronic liver disease, including primary liver cancer. This Perspective contextualizes the nomenclature change from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to MASLD and proposes important considerations to accelerate further progress in the field, optimize patient-centric multidisciplinary care pathways, advance pharmacological, behavioural and diagnostic research, and address health disparities. Key regulatory and other steps necessary to optimize the approval and access to upcoming additional pharmacological therapeutic agents for MASH are also outlined. We conclude by calling for increased education and awareness, enhanced health system preparedness, and concerted action by policy-makers to further the public health and policy agenda to achieve at least parity with other non-communicable diseases and to aid in growing the community of practice to reduce the human and economic burden and end the public health threat of MASLD and MASH by 2030.

Use of non-invasive diagnostic tools for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: A qualitative exploration of challenges and barriers

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Non-invasive tests (NITs) are underutilized for diagnosis and risk stratification in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), despite good accuracy. This study aimed to identify challenges and barriers to the use of NITs in clinical practice.

METHODS

We conducted a qualitative exploratory study in Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and United States. Phase 1 participants (primary care physicians, hepatologists, diabetologists, researchers, healthcare administrators, payers and patient advocates; n = 29) were interviewed. Phase 2 participants (experts in MASLD; n = 8) took part in a group discussion to validate and expand on Phase 1 findings. Finally, we triangulated perspectives in a hybrid deductive/inductive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes hindering the use of NITs emerged: (1) limited knowledge and awareness; (2) unclear referral pathways for patients affected by liver conditions; (3) uncertainty over the value of NITs in monitoring and managing liver diseases; and (4) challenges justifying system-level reimbursement. Through these themes, participants perceived a stigma associated with liver diseases, and primary care physicians generally lacked awareness, adequate knowledge and skills to use recommended NITs. We identified uncertainties over the results of NITs, specifically to guide lifestyle intervention or to identify patients that should be referred to a specialist. Participants indicated an ongoing need for research and development to improve the prognostic value of NITs and communicating their cost-effectiveness to payers.

CONCLUSIONS

This qualitative study suggests that use of NITs for MASLD is limited due to several individual and system-level barriers. Multi-level interventions are likely required to address these barriers.

Liver stiffness as a cornerstone in heart disease risk assessment

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) typically presents with hepatic fibrosis in advanced disease, resulting in increased liver stiffness. A subset of patients further develops liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Cardiovascular disease is a common comorbidity in patients with MASLD and its prevalence is increasing in parallel. Recent evidence suggests that especially liver stiffness, whether or not existing against a background of MASLD, is associated with heart diseases. We conducted a narrative review on the role of liver stiffness in the prediction of highly prevalent heart diseases including heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias (in particular atrial fibrillation), coronary heart disease, and aortic valve sclerosis. Research papers were retrieved from major scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science) until September 2023 using 'liver stiffness' and 'liver fibrosis' as keywords along with the latter cardiac conditions. Increased liver stiffness, determined by vibration-controlled transient elastography or hepatic fibrosis as predicted by biomarker panels, are associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and coronary heart disease. Elevated liver stiffness in patients with metabolic liver disease should lead to considerations of cardiac workup including N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide/B-type natriuretic peptide determination, electrocardiography, and coronary computed tomography angiography. In addition, patients with MASLD would benefit from heart disease case-finding strategies in which liver stiffness measurements can play a key role. In conclusion, increased liver stiffness should be a trigger to consider a cardiac workup in metabolically compromised patients.

Obesity and harmful alcohol consumption are predictors for advanced liver disease in the disease management program for type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for advanced liver disease. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in primary care centers participating in the diabetes disease management program (DMP) in Germany.

METHODS

A total of 175 participants with the diagnosis of T2DM were enrolled in two primary care centers. Steatotic liver disease (SLD; hepatic steatosis, ≥275 dB/m), fibrosis (≥8 kPa), and cirrhosis (≥15 kPa) were assessed non-invasively using vibration-controlled transient elastography. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify clinical predictors of fibrosis and cirrhosis. The AUDIT questionnaire was used to screen for alcohol consumption, and a score ≥8 was considered harmful alcohol consumption.

RESULTS

The majority of participants were male (62%), and the median age was 66 years (interquartile range 59; 71). The median body mass index was 31.1 kg/m2 , with 58.9% of the participants being obese. Harmful alcohol consumption was prevalent in 8.0% and 20.0% of the entire cohort and in those with cirrhosis, respectively. The prevalence of SLD, fibrosis, and cirrhosis was 77.1%, 42.3%, and 12.0%, respectively. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, obesity, and harmful alcohol consumption were associated with the highest odds of fibrosis (odds ratio [OR] 5.198, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.269-11.908) and cirrhosis (OR 5.615, 95% CI 1.274-24.756), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients seen in the diabetes DMP in Germany is high. Obesity and harmful alcohol consumption increase the risk of fibrosis and cirrhosis in people with T2DM. Screening for advanced liver disease and associated risk factors within the DMP program may reduce the liver disease burden in this high-risk population.

Predicting fibrosis progression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients using the FAST Score: A paired biopsy study

Background and Aim

This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of various non-invasive scores for identifying the progression of hepatic fibrosis over time in patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).

Materials and Methods

We examined 69 patients with NAFLD who had undergone two liver biopsies at an average interval of 21.3±9.7 months. Progression and regression of fibrosis were defined as an increase or decrease of at least one stage in fibrosis between the initial and follow-up biopsies, respectively. The Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4), NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS), Agile 3+, Agile 4, and FibroScan-AST (FAST) scores were calculated at the initial biopsy.

Results

Comparison of paired biopsies revealed that 45% of participants (n=31) exhibited no change in fibrosis stages, 26% (n=18) experienced progression, and 29% (n=20) demonstrated regression. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified the FAST score as the only independent predictor of progressive fibrosis, with the odds increasing by 19% (95% CI: 8-38%, p<0.05) for each unit increase in the FAST score at the initial biopsy. No independent predictors for fibrosis regression were identified.

Conclusion

Higher baseline FAST scores were associated with an increased likelihood of fibrosis progression, independent of other variables. Thus, the FAST score could serve as both a diagnostic and prognostic tool for fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.

Thyroid nodule malignancy is associated with increased non-invasive hepatic fibrosis scores in metabolic subjects

Introduction

Thyroid cancer incidence is increasing, and adiposity-related conditions are gaining space in its pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to detect any anthropometric, biohumoral, and clinical features that might be associated with thyroid nodule malignancy, potentially representing novel non-invasive markers of thyroid cancer.

Materials and methods

The study was conducted in a group of 142 consecutive outpatients (47 men and 95 women) who underwent fine-needle aspiration biopsy/cytology (FNAB/C) due to suspicion of malignancy from January 2018 to September 2022. We compared lipid and glycemic blood profiles as well as non-invasive liver fibrosis indexes such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (AAR), AST to platelet ratio index (APRI), and fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4) between patients with benign and malignant newly diagnosed nodules. Then, we performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to assess their best cutoff values for discrimination of malignant nodules and chi-squared test to evaluate the association of specific dysmetabolic conditions with malignancy. To understand whether and to what degree dysmetabolic conditions increased the risk of thyroid nodule malignancy, we also calculated the odds ratio (OR) of the main biomarkers.

Results

After FNAB/C, 121 (85%) patients were diagnosed with benign thyroid nodules, while 21 (15%) individuals were diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Comparing patients with benign and malignant nodules, we found that individuals with thyroid cancer exhibited increased body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.048) and fasting plasma glucose (p = 0.046). Intriguingly, considering non-invasive scores for liver fibrosis, subjects with thyroid cancer presented increased AAR (p < 0.001) and APRI (p = 0.007), and these scores were associated with malignancy (p < 0.005) with OR = 7.1 and OR = 5, respectively. Moreover, we showed that only in the cancer group, low levels of vitamin D correlated with stigmata of impaired metabolism.

Discussion

In our study, AAR and APRI scores were associated with thyroid nodule malignancy and could be used to predict it and to speed up the diagnostic process. From a pathogenic point of view, we speculated that metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) along with hyperglycemia and vitamin D deficiency may represent putative drivers of thyroid carcinogenesis.

AST/ALT-to-platelet ratio (AARPRI) predicts gynaecological cancers: a 8-years follow-up study in 653 women

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), specifically liver steatosis and fibrosis with steatohepatitis (NASH), is often associated with visceral adiposopathy, whose pathogenetic features have been proposed as tumorigenic triggers. We performed a prospective analysis in 653 metabolic women to reveal any conditions that may predict and concur to cancer development during a 8-years period of follow-up. Among clinical and biochemical variables, only AST and non-invasive liver fibrosis scores (AARPRI, APRI, FIB-4, mFIB4) significantly distinguished cancer-developer women (n = 62, 9.5%) from those who did not develop cancer (p < 0.001). In ROC analysis, these scores also showed good sensitivity and specificity in differentiating women who developed cancer (all p < 0.001). We then calculated OR for these indexes finding that increased AARPRI was associated with the highest risk (OR = 6, p < 0.001) of gynaecological cancers development. We further validated these cut-off values in women who had developed other types of cancer, confirming that AARPRI is able to identify the risk for cancer development (OR = 5, p < 0.001). Our findings support the hypothesis that NAFLD, more than obesity per se, is directly associated with the clinical and pathogenic metabolic scenario of gynaecological cancers and encourage the use of liver fibrosis indexes to detect risk of cancer onset in women. Preventing adiposopathy and NAFLD through lifestyle and therapies may represent an instrumental strategy for cancer prevention and/or co-treatment in oncology.

Emerging concepts in the detection of liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

INTRODUCTION

The non-invasive identification of liver fibrosis related to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is crucial for risk-stratification of patients. Currently, the reference standard to stage hepatic fibrosis relies on liver biopsy, but multiple approaches are developed to allow for non-invasive diagnosis and risk stratification. Non-invasive tests, including blood-based scores and vibration-controlled transient elastography, have been widely validated and represent a good surrogate for risk stratification according to recent European and American guidelines.

AREAS COVERED

Novel approaches are based on 'liquid' biomarkers of liver fibrogenesis, including collagen-derived markers (PRO-C3 or PRO-C6), or 'multi-omics' technologies (e.g. proteomic-based molecules or miRNA testing), bearing the advantage of tailoring the intrahepatic disease activity. Alternative approaches are based on 'dry' biomarkers, including magnetic resonance-based tools (including proton density fat fraction, magnetic resonance elastography, or corrected T1), which reach similar accuracy of liver histology and will potentially help identify the best candidates for pharmacological treatment of fibrosing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

EXPERT OPINION

In the near future, the sequential use of non-invasive tests, as well as the complimentary use of liquid and dry biomarkers according to the clinical need (diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognosis, or treatment response) will guide and improve the management of this liver disease.

How to Identify Advanced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the Primary Care Setting

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 30 to 40% of the population globally and is increasingly considered the most common liver disease. Patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases are at especially increased risk for NAFLD. Although most patients with NAFLD do not have progressive liver disease, some patients progress to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver mortality. Given the sheer number of patients with NAFLD, the burden of disease is enormous. Despite this large and increasing burden, identification of NAFLD patients at risk for progressive liver disease in the primary care and diabetology practice settings remains highly suboptimal. In this review, our aim is to summarize a stepwise approach to risk stratify patients with NAFLD which should help practitioners in their management of patients with NAFLD.

How to Identify Advanced Fibrosis in Adult Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Using Ultrasound Elastography-A Review of the Literature and Proposed Multistep Approach

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its progressive form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), represent, nowadays, real challenges for the healthcare system. Liver fibrosis is the most important prognostic factor for NAFLD, and advanced fibrosis is associated with higher liver-related mortality rates. Therefore, the key issues in NAFLD are the differentiation of NASH from simple steatosis and identification of advanced hepatic fibrosis. We critically reviewed the ultrasound (US) elastography techniques for the quantitative characterization of fibrosis, steatosis, and inflammation in NAFLD and NASH, with a specific focus on how to differentiate advanced fibrosis in adult patients. Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) is still the most utilized and validated elastography method for liver fibrosis assessment. The recently developed point shear wave elastography (pSWE) and two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) techniques that use multiparametric approaches could bring essential improvements to diagnosis and risk stratification.