Abstract
Comparison of the Accuracy of FIB-4 and Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Elastography in Diagnosing Fibrosis in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Jester I. Mendoza, MD, Sarah Jean C. Bellido, MD
Institute of Digestive and Liver Diseases, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City
Background: Early identification for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients with fibrosis is imperative, however, early diagnosis still remains to be elusive due to unavailability of elastography and impracticality of multiple liver biopsies. FIB-4 is a non-invasive test that has the potential to be used as screening method for these patients. Our objective was to establish the correlation of FIB-4 and degree of fibrosis using ARFI elastography among Filipino patients with NAFLD
Methodology: A total of 375 records were reviewed. FIB-4 scores were computed and the charts were grouped according to their ARFI scores (F0-F4). FIB-4 index scores were compared to each ARFI category using one-way ANOVA, while spearman r correlation was computed to determine the relationship between FIB-4 index score and ARFI category.
Results: The average FIB-4 index score was 1.3 (SD=1.3). Results showed that there is significant correlation between the ARFI category and the FIB-4 index score. Specifically, the degree of fibrosis (ARFI category) worsens as the FIB-4 index score gets higher (p=0.0001). Additionally, correlation coefficient is 0.542 implying a positive relationship between FIB-4 index and ARFI category.
Conclusion: NAFLD patients with higher FIB-4 may already have significant fibrosis. It was noted that a FIB-4 score of >1.72 (SD + 1.61) is comparable as having F2 ARFI score (p= 0.0001). In cases wherein biopsy and ARFI elastography is not readily available, this study has shown that FIB-4 may be used to stratify patients with NAFLD.
Keywords: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, FIB-4, ARFI Elastography
Important Dates to Remember
| JRRE Activities 2023-2024 |
Proposed Dates |
|---|---|
| Resumption of face-to-face Evidence-Based Medicine Workshop Venue to be announced once finalized. |
July 21, 2023 (Friday), 1-5pm |
| Monthly Critical Appraisal of Topics Conferences to be gaciliated by Research Coordinators per Institution | Monthly Critical Appraisal of Topics Conferences per Institution |
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