Diagnostics (Jun 2024)

Enhanced Liver Fibrosis Score for Diagnosing Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis

  • Nobuharu Tamaki,
  • Kenta Takaura,
  • Mayu Higuchi,
  • Yutaka Yasui,
  • Jun Itakura,
  • Kaoru Tsuchiya,
  • Hiroyuki Nakanishi,
  • Namiki Izumi,
  • Masayuki Kurosaki

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14131317
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 13
p. 1317

Abstract

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Background and aims: The enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score is a blood test that combines three markers linked to liver fibrosis. The utility of the ELF score has been demonstrated primarily in Western countries, but whether it is useful in areas with a high number of elderly people suffering from chronic liver disease has yet to be determined. Methods: This is a prospective study that included 373 consecutive patients who underwent a liver biopsy and had their ELF score measured on the same day. The diagnostic accuracy of the ELF score for liver fibrosis and the effect of age on the ELF score were investigated. Results: The median (interquartile) ELF scores in F0, F1, F2, F3, and F4 are 8.7 (8.2–9.2), 9.3 (8.8–10.0), 10.1 (9.4–10.7), 10.7 (9.9–11.2), and 12.0 (11.2–12.7), respectively. ELF scores increased with increasing liver fibrosis stage (p Conclusions: ELF score has high diagnostic accuracy for liver fibrosis, regardless of age, and it could be used as a primary screening method.

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