Transient Elastography Role in the Diagnosis of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease includes hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis and fibrosis, which can progress to cirrhosis. In view of the prevalence of this disease, the deterioration of the quality of life of patients, mortality from complications, the development of methods for accurate and timely assessment of the severity of fatty liver and progression of fibrosis are becoming of greater interest. Purpose. The study of diagnostic potential of transient elastography in patients with idiopathic transaminase elevations. Methods. In 52 patients (20 men and 32 women) with idiopathic increased transaminases without signs of hepatic steatosis according to sonographic study, controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurements (LSM) were performed using FibroScan with M probe. Exclusion criteria from the study were the presence of chronic viral, autoimmune hepatitis and alcohol abuse. Results. Forty one patients (78.8 %) had fatty liver disease according to CAP. The analysis of the data of transient elastography demonstrated that 63.4 % had fibrosis F0–F1, 29.3 % — F1–F2 and in 7.3 % — F3. In terms of the CAP there were significant differences between the group with severe fibrosis (F3) and groups with minimal fibrosis (F0–F1) ((203.0 ± 5.1) vs. (243.0 ± 10.1), p < 0.05). The analysis of biochemical parameters demonstrated significant differences in terms of gamma-glutamyltransferase in the groups with severe fibrosis (F3) and minimal fibrosis ((40.2 ± 5.7) vs. (26.4 ± 3.7), p < 0.05). Thus, the results obtained in the study indicate that a significant proportion of patients with idiopathic transaminase elevations inflammation factor is fatty liver disease, which is not detected at routine ultrasound examination. In the group with more expressed fibrosis reduction of fat in the liver and increased activity gamma glutamyltransferase were determined, that indicated the cholestasis deterioration in the liver in these patients. Consequently, patients with idiopathic transaminase increase, even with the absence of signs of steatosis according to sonography need CAP measurement using FibroScan, which is more sensitive in identifying fatty liver disease than ultrasound.

Keywords

• nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
• hepatic steatosis
• non-invasive diagnostic methods
• elastography.