Risk factors for the development of cystic fibrosis related liver disease

Diagnosis, Management, and Prognosis of Cystic Fibrosis-Related Liver Disease in Children

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multifaceted disorder predominantly investigated for its pulmonary manifestations, yet patients with CF also exhibit a spectrum of extrapulmonary manifestations, notably those involving the hepatobiliary system. The latter constitutes the third leading cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals with CF. Cystic fibrosis-related liver disease (CFLD), with an escalating prevalence, manifests diverse clinical presentations ranging from hepatomegaly to cirrhosis and hepatopulmonary syndrome. Consequently, early detection and appropriate management are imperative for sustaining the health and influencing the quality of life of CF patients afflicted with CFLD. This review aims to consolidate existing knowledge by providing a comprehensive overview of hepatobiliary manifestations associated with CF. It delineates the clinical hepatobiliary manifestations, diagnostic methodologies, incorporating minimally invasive markers, and therapeutic approaches, encompassing the impact of novel CFTR modulators on CFLD. Given the exigency of early diagnosis and the intricate management of CFLD, a multidisciplinary team approach is essential to optimize care and enhance the quality of life for this subset of patients. In conclusion, recognizing CF as more than solely a pulmonary ailment, the authors underscore the imperative for further clinical investigations to establish a more robust evidence base for CFLD management within the continuum of this chronic disease.

Clinical and genetic risk factors for cystic fibrosis-related liver disease in Egyptian CF children: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease. It affects multiple organ systems, including the liver, leading to CF-related liver disease (CFLD). It was noted that CFLD in Egyptian children with CF is more common than in non-Egyptian people with CF (pwCF). This study aimed to determine the incidence of CFLD and the potential risk factors for developing CFLD in Egyptian children. The correlation between CFLD and the various genotypes prevalent in Egyptian CF children will be discussed. In addition, comparison of CFLD in Egyptian and non-Egyptian CF patients will be presented.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 50 pwCF from Ain Sham University's Pediatric Pulmonology Clinic in Children's Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. The sweat chloride test and genetic studies were done at the time of diagnosis. Additionally, all subjects underwent detailed history taking, laboratory investigations, clinical assessment, and pelvic abdominal ultrasound for evaluation of hepatic involvement.

RESULTS

One-third of the Egyptian children with CF were found to have liver disease. The following independent risk factors for developing CFLD were identified as: male sex, severe genetic mutation (class I and II), long duration of CF disease, early onset of the CF, pancreatic insufficiency, as well as history of meconium ileus. In addition, diabetes mellitus and severe lung disease were proven to significantly increase the risk of developing CFLD.

CONCLUSION

CFLD is common in Egyptian pwCF. CFLD's risk factors are similar to other reported research from other countries in the region.

Cystic fibrosis-related liver disease: Clinical presentations, diagnostic and monitoring approaches in the era of CFTR modulator therapies

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive disease in the Caucasian population. Cystic fibrosis-related liver disease (CFLD) is defined as the pathogenesis related to the underlying CFTR defect in biliary epithelial cells. CFLD needs to be distinguished from other liver manifestations that may not have any pathological significance. The clinical/histological presentation and severity of CFLD vary. The main histological presentation of CFLD is focal biliary fibrosis, which is usually asymptomatic. Portal hypertension develops in a minority of cases (about 10%) and may require specific management including liver transplantation for end-stage liver disease. Portal hypertension is usually the result of the progression of focal biliary fibrosis to multilobular cirrhosis during childhood. Nevertheless, non-cirrhotic portal hypertension as a result of porto-sinusoidal vascular disease is now identified increasingly more frequently, mainly in young adults. To evaluate the effect of new CFTR modulator therapies on the liver, the spectrum of hepatobiliary involvement must first be precisely classified. This paper discusses the phenotypic features of CFLD, its underlying physiopathology and relevant diagnostic and follow-up approaches, with a special focus on imaging.

Cystic Fibrosis Liver Disease: Outcomes and Risk Factors in a Large Cohort of French Patients

Cystic fibrosis (CF)-related liver disease (CFLD) is a common symptom in patients with CF. However, its prevalence, risk factors, and evolution are unclear. We analyzed a large database of patients with CF to investigate the incidence of CFLD, its related risk factors, and the use and effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment. We retrospectively analyzed 3,328 CF patients with pancreatic insufficiency born after 1985 and recruited into the French CF Modifier Gene Study since 2004. We determined liver status, age at CFLD and severe CFLD onset, sex, CFTR genotype, history of meconium ileus, treatment with UDCA, and respiratory and nutritional status. The incidence of CFLD increased by approximately 1% every year, reaching 32.2% by age 25. The incidence of severe CFLD increased only after the age of 5, reaching 10% by age 30. Risk factors for CFLD and severe CFLD were male sex, CFTR F508del homozygosity, and history of meconium ileus. Increasingly precocious initiation of UDCA treatment did not change the incidence of severe CFLD. Finally, patients with severe CFLD had worse lung function and nutritional status than other CF patients. Conclusion: CFLD occurs not only during childhood but also later in the lifetime of patients with CF; male sex, CFTR F508del homozygosity, and history of meconium ileus are independent risk factors for CFLD development; earlier use of UDCA over the last 20 years has not changed the incidence of severe CFLD, leading to questions about the use of this treatment in young children given its possible adverse effects.

The intestinal microbiome and paediatric liver disease

The intestinal microbiome has been the intense focus of recent study, but how the microbiota affects connected organs, such as the liver, has not been fully elucidated. The microbiome regulates intestinal permeability and helps to metabolise the human diet into small molecules, thus directly affecting liver health. Several studies have linked intestinal dysbiosis to the severity and progression of liver diseases, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, total parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease, and cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease. However, there is limited information and interpretation with regard to how the microbiome could contribute to liver disease in the paediatric population. Notably, the gut microbiota is distinct at birth and does not establish an adult profile until the third year of life. Clinical research suggests that paediatric liver disease differs in both severity and rate of progression compared with adult forms, suggesting independent mechanisms of pathogenesis. We discuss data linking the intestinal microbiome to liver disease development and therapeutic efforts to modify the microbiome in children.

Intestinal lesions are associated with altered intestinal microbiome and are more frequent in children and young adults with cystic fibrosis and cirrhosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Cirrhosis (CIR) occurs in 5-7% of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We hypothesized that alterations in intestinal function in CF contribute to the development of CIR.

AIMS

Determine the frequency of macroscopic intestinal lesions, intestinal inflammation, intestinal permeability and characterize fecal microbiome in CF CIR subjects and CF subjects with no liver disease (CFnoLIV).

METHODS

11 subjects with CFCIR (6 M, 12.8 yrs ± 3.8) and 19 matched with CFnoLIV (10 M, 12.6 yrs ± 3.4) underwent small bowel capsule endoscopy, intestinal permeability testing by urinary lactulose: mannitol excretion ratio, fecal calprotectin determination and fecal microbiome characterization.

RESULTS

CFCIR and CFnoLIV did not differ in key demographics or CF complications. CFCIR had higher GGT (59±51 U/L vs 17±4 p = 0.02) and lower platelet count (187±126 vs 283±60 p = 0.04) and weight (-0.86 ± 1.0 vs 0.30 ± 0.9 p = 0.002) z scores. CFCIR had more severe intestinal mucosal lesions on capsule endoscopy (score ≥4, 4/11 vs 0/19 p = 0.01). Fecal calprotectin was similar between CFCIR and CFnoLIV (166 μg/g ±175 vs 136 ± 193 p = 0.58, nl <120). Lactulose:mannitol ratio was elevated in 27/28 subjects and was slightly lower in CFCIR vs CFnoLIV (0.08±0.02 vs 0.11±0.05, p = 0.04, nl ≤0.03). Small bowel transit time was longer in CFCIR vs CFnoLIV (195±42 min vs 167±68 p<0.001, nl 274 ± 41). Bacteroides were decreased in relative abundance in CFCIR and were associated with lower capsule endoscopy score whereas Clostridium were more abundant in CFCIR and associated with higher capsule endoscopy score.

CONCLUSIONS

CFCIR is associated with increased intestinal mucosal lesions, slower small bowel transit time and alterations in fecal microbiome. Abnormal intestinal permeability and elevated fecal calprotectin are common in all CF subjects. Disturbances in intestinal function in CF combined with changes in the microbiome may contribute to the development of hepatic fibrosis and intestinal lesions.

Liver disease in cystic fibrosis

The survival of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) has progressively increased over recent decades, largely attributable to early diagnosis through newborn screening and advances in nutritional and respiratory care. As the life expectancy of patients with CF has improved, non-respiratory complications such as liver disease have become increasingly recognized. Biochemical derangements of liver enzymes in CF are common and may be attributed to a number of specific hepatobiliary abnormalities. Among them, Cystic Fibrosis-associated Liver Disease (CFLD) is clinically the most significant hepatic complication and is believed to have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality. However, there remains much conjecture about the extent of the adverse prognostic implications that a diagnosis of CFLD has on clinical outcomes. The purpose of this review is to give an overview of the current knowledge regarding liver disease in children with CF.

Intestinal obstruction syndromes in cystic fibrosis: meconium ileus, distal intestinal obstruction syndrome, and constipation

Meconium ileus at birth, distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS), and constipation are an interrelated group of intestinal obstruction syndromes with a variable severity of obstruction that occurs in cystic fibrosis patients. Long-term follow-up studies show that today meconium ileus is not a risk factor for impaired nutritional status, pulmonary function, or survival. DIOS and constipation are frequently seen in cystic fibrosis patients, especially later in life; genetic, dietary, and other associations have been explored. Diagnosis of DIOS is based on suggestive symptoms, with a right lower quadrant mass confirmed on abdominal radiography, whereas symptoms of constipation are milder and of longer standing. In DIOS, early aggressive laxative treatment with oral laxatives (polyethylene glycol) or intestinal lavage with balanced osmotic electrolyte solution and rehydration is required, which now makes the need for surgical interventions rare. Constipation can generally be well controlled with polyethylene glycol maintenance treatment.

Hepatobiliary abnormalities and disease in cystic fibrosis: epidemiology and outcomes through adulthood

OBJECTIVES

There is limited data regarding the prevalence of hepatobiliary disease in North American patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) through adulthood. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of, and risk factors for, CF-related hepatobiliary abnormalities and determine factors that predict the development of CF-related hepatobiliary disease.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of all CF patients who presented to a UnitedStates tertiary care referral academic center over a 32-year period. "CF-related hepatobiliary abnormality" was defined as the presence of abnormal liver chemistries on one or more occasion and "CF-related hepatobiliary disease" was defined as biochemical, physical examination, or ultrasonographic abnormalities on at least 2 consecutive examinations spanning a 1-year period.

RESULTS

Two-hundred eighty-three CF patients who presented between the years 1970 and 2002 were identified, with an age range of 2 months to 63 years. Sixty-five percent had CF-related hepatobiliary abnormalities with a higher prevalence seen in CF patients <18 years of age (84% vs. 16%, P<0.01). Fifteen percent of our cohort had CF-related hepatobiliary disease with 93% of cases occurring in individuals before age 18. One quarter of individuals with CF-related hepatobiliary abnormalities developed hepatobiliary disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal liver chemistries in CF are common though most of CF patients lack clinical evidence of liver disease and the severe complications of fibrosis/cirrhosis are rare. The risk of liver involvement decreases significantly with age, falling by 10% per annum for those described as having CF-related hepatobiliary disease. CF-related hepatobiliary disease is a rare occurrence after age 18.

Genetic modifiers of liver disease in cystic fibrosis

CONTEXT

A subset (approximately 3%-5%) of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) develops severe liver disease with portal hypertension.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether any of 9 polymorphisms in 5 candidate genes (alpha(1)-antitrypsin or alpha(1)-antiprotease [SERPINA1], angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE], glutathione S-transferase [GSTP1], mannose-binding lectin 2 [MBL2], and transforming growth factor beta1 [TGFB1]) are associated with severe liver disease in patients with CF.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Two-stage case-control study enrolling patients with CF and severe liver disease with portal hypertension (CFLD) from 63 CF centers in the United States as well as 32 in Canada and 18 outside of North America, with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as the coordinating site. In the initial study, 124 patients with CFLD (enrolled January 1999-December 2004) and 843 control patients without CFLD were studied by genotyping 9 polymorphisms in 5 genes previously studied as modifiers of liver disease in CF. In the second stage, the SERPINA1 Z allele and TGFB1 codon 10 genotype were tested in an additional 136 patients with CFLD (enrolled January 2005-February 2007) and 1088 with no CFLD.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Differences in distribution of genotypes in patients with CFLD vs patients without CFLD.

RESULTS

The initial study showed CFLD to be associated with the SERPINA1 Z allele (odds ratio [OR], 4.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.31-9.61; P = 3.3 x 10(-6)) and with TGFB1 codon 10 CC genotype (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.16-2.03; P = 2.8 x 10(-3)). In the replication study, CFLD was associated with the SERPINA1 Z allele (OR, 3.42; 95% CI, 1.54-7.59; P = 1.4 x 10(-3)) but not with TGFB1 codon 10. A combined analysis of the initial and replication studies by logistic regression showed CFLD to be associated with SERPINA1 Z allele (OR, 5.04; 95% CI, 2.88-8.83; P = 1.5 x 10(-8)).

CONCLUSIONS

The SERPINA1 Z allele is a risk factor for liver disease in CF. Patients who carry the Z allele are at greater risk (OR, approximately 5) of developing severe liver disease with portal hypertension.

Non-invasive liver elastography (Fibroscan) for detection of cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease

BACKGROUND

Cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease (CFLD) is the second cause of mortality in CF. The prevalence is estimated to be 26-45%, but sensitive diagnostic tools are lacking. We investigated whether non-invasive liver elastography (Fibroscan) could serve as a screening tool.

METHODS

Fibroscan measurements were performed in 66 CF patients. Age-specific cutoff values were determined in a control population (n=59). The measurements were compared to clinical data, bi-yearly biochemistry and ultrasound.

RESULTS

Fibroscan was easy to perform in this patient population. There were 14 patients (21%) with abnormal liver stiffness measurements. Liver stiffness was significantly increased in patients with clinical CFLD (11.2 kPa versus 5.1 kPa), biochemical CFLD (7.4 kPa versus 5.4 kPa) or ultrasonographical CFLD (8.2 versus 4.3 kPa) (p<0.02 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

Fibroscan is an objective measure and is easy to perform in CF patients, even in children and could provide a valuable tool to detect, and quantify CFLD.

Polymorphisms of TGF-beta1 in cystic fibrosis patients

There is a significant phenotypic variance among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Due to the role of TGF-beta1 in fibrotic processes we investigated its role in CF pathogenesis. TGF-beta 1 codons 10 and 25 were genotyped in 118 Czech CF patients and 268 controls by PCR-ARMS. Difference between CF and controls was found at codon 10, lower frequency of T/T homozygotes, and codon 25, higher frequency of G/C heterozygotes. We did not prove the association of TGF-beta1 polymorphisms and lung function in CF, however, the TT (codon 10)/GG (codon 25) genotype was preferentially associated with CF-related liver disease and diabetes. Independent of the TGF-beta1 genotype, production of cytokine was higher in patients than in controls with the notable exception of very low levels in Burkholderia cepacia complex colonized patients. In CF, both extremes, highest or lowest TGF-beta 1 production, were associated with impaired lung function.

Cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease: a population-based study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore the clinical factors associated with the development of cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease (CFALD).

STUDY DESIGN

This was a case-control study of all children (age 5-18 years) with established CFALD in the Republic of Ireland between January 1999 and June 2000. Each child was pair matched for age and sex with a patient with cystic fibrosis (CF) without evidence of liver disease. Only children with clinically overt liver disease were enrolled in the disease group.

RESULTS

Patients with established CFALD (n = 42; 26 boys) were enrolled. Children with CFALD had worse forced expiratory volume in 1 second values than those without CFALD. However, chest radiography and clinical scores did not differ between groups. Height (mean difference, -4.2 cm [95% confidence interval [CI], -7.41 to -0.90], P =.014), weight (mean difference, -3.21 kg [95% CI, -6.03 to -0.40], P =.026), and mid-upper arm circumference (mean difference, -1.23 cm [95% CI, -2.35 to -0.12], P =.031) were significantly lower among children with CFALD. Children with CFALD were given diagnoses of CF later than children without liver disease. There were more children with meconium ileus in the control group (14 vs 4) than among those with CFALD.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with established CFALD have impaired growth and nutrition, altered body composition, and worse forced expiratory volume in 1 second values. CFALD is associated with later age of diagnosis of CF.