A New Visual Transient Elastography Technique for Grading Liver Fibrosis in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B

Staging liver fibrosis and cirrhosis using non-invasive tests in people with chronic hepatitis B to inform WHO 2024 guidelines: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Non-invasive tests (aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index [APRI] and transient elastography [FibroScan]) were recommended in the 2015 WHO guidelines to guide treatment decisions in people with chronic hepatitis B. We updated the systematic review and meta-analysis that informed the 2015 guidelines to inform new cutoffs for non-invasive tests for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis and cirrhosis for the 2024 WHO guidelines for chronic hepatitis B.

METHODS

We searched PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, and Science Citation Index Expanded (Web of Science) for studies published in any language between Jan 1, 2014, and Feb 15, 2023. We included all studies that reported cross-sectional data on the staging of fibrosis or cirrhosis with APRI, Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), and FibroScan compared with liver biopsy as the reference standard in people with chronic hepatitis B. We excluded studies in which the maximum interval between liver biopsy and non-invasive fibrosis test was more than 6 months; that reported on fewer than ten patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis; that were done exclusively in children; and did not report diagnostic accuracy across our prespecified ranges of test cutoffs. The results of this updated search were collated with the meta-analysis that informed the 2015 guidelines. Outcomes of interest were the sensitivity and specificity of non-invasive tests using defined index test cutoffs for detecting significant fibrosis (≥F2), advanced fibrosis (≥F3), and cirrhosis (F4) based on the METAVIR staging system. We performed meta-analyses using a bivariate random-effects model.

FINDINGS

Of 19 933 records identified by our search strategy, 195 were eligible for our systematic review and combined with the 69 studies from the previous meta-analysis to total 264. Two studies were at low risk of bias, 31 studies had unclear risk of bias, and 231 studies had a high risk of bias. Of these 264, 211 studies with 61 665 patients were used in the meta-analysis. For the diagnosis of significant fibrosis (≥F2), sensitivity and specificity were 72·9% (95% CI 70·2-75·5) and 64·7% (95% CI 61·0-68·2) for the APRI low cutoff (>0·3 to 0·7), 30·5% (23·7-38·3) and 92·3% (89·3-94·6) for the APRI high cutoff (>1·3 to 1·7), and 75·1% (72·2-77·7) and 79·3% (76·2-82·2) for FibroScan (>6·0 to 8·0 kPa), respectively. For the diagnosis of cirrhosis (F4), sensitivity and specificity were 59·4% (53·2-65·2) and 73·9% (70·1-77·4) for the APRI low cutoff (>0·8 to 1·2), 30·2% (24·2-36·9) and 88·2% (85·4-90·6) for the APRI high cutoff (>1·8 to 2·2), and 82·6% (77·8-86·5) and 89·0% (86·3-91·2) for FibroScan (>11·0 to 14·0 kPa), respectively. Using a hypothetical population of 1000 unselected patients with chronic hepatitis B with a 25% prevalence of significant fibrosis (≥F2), the APRI low cutoff for significant fibrosis (≥F2) would result in 262 (26·2%) false positives but only 68 (6·8%) false negatives. The FibroScan cutoff would result in 158 (15·8%) false positives and 63 (6·3%) false negatives. In a population with a 5% prevalence of cirrhosis (F4), the APRI low cutoff for cirrhosis (F4) would result in 247 (24·7%) false positives and 21 (2·1%) false negatives and the FibroScan cutoff would result in 105 (10·5%) false positives and nine (0·9%) false negatives.

INTERPRETATION

These findings have informed new thresholds of APRI and FibroScan for diagnosis of significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in the 2024 WHO guidelines on chronic hepatitis B, with an APRI score greater than 0·5 or a FibroScan value greater than 7·0 kPa considered to identify most adults with significant fibrosis (≥F2) and an APRI score greater than 1·0 or a FibroScan value greater than 12·5 kPa to identify most adults with cirrhosis (F4). These patients are a priority for antiviral treatment.

FUNDING

WHO.

A comparative study of three ultrasound techniques for liver fibrosis staging

The aim of this study is to assess the agreement and performance of visual transient elastography (ViTE), sound touch elastography (STE), and sound touch quantification (STQ) for liver fibrosis staging using transient elastography (TE) as a standard. We finally enrolled 252 subjects with chronic liver disease (CLD) who underwent ViTE, STE, STQ, and TE examinations simultaneously in our hospital from October 2022 to July 2023. We evaluated the correlation and agreement between various technologies. And also evaluated the performances and optimal cutoffs of ViTE, STE, and STQ . The correlation coefficients of ViTE and TE, STE and TE, STQ and TE were 0.863, 0.709, and 0.727, respectively. The ICC among ViTE, STE, STQ, and TE was 0.911. The area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROCs) of ViTE, STE, and STQ for detection of TE of ≥5 kPa, ≥10 kPa, ≥15 kPa, and ≥20 kPa were 0.867, 0.771, 0.804; 0.972, 0.935, 0.933; 0.998, 0.973, 0.968; and 1.000, 0.960, 0.954, respectively. The AUROCs of ViTE for detection of lower stages (TE≥5 kPa and ≥10 kPa) were significantly higher than STE and STQ in the overall cohort (ViTE vs. STE: Z  = 2.766, for TE ≥5 kPa; ViTE vs. STE: Z  = 2.145, ; ViTE vs. STQ: Z  = 2.587, for TE ≥10 kPa) (all P < 0.05). These methods all have coincided with performance in more advanced stages (TE ≥15 kPa and ≥20 kPa) (all P  > 0.05). These methods showed excellent correlation and agreement. ViTE performance in more advanced fibrosis differentiation is comparable to the STE and STQ while ViTE is more accurate than STE and STQ to identify patients with mild CLD stage, and can more effectively rule out compensated advanced CLD.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Prediction of the Risk of MAFLD in an Overweight and Obese Population

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a serious condition, and a simple method is needed for practitioners to identify patients with the disease and have a high risk of disease progression.

METHODS

We developed and validated a nomogram for fatty liver disease and reclassified the risk factors for MAFLD. The development cohort had 335 patients who received bioelectrical impedance analysis and liver ultrasound attenuation measurements at Shenzhen People's Hospital between September 2020 and June 2021. The validation cohort had 200 patients from other hospitals who received the same evaluation. A random forest procedure and binary logistic analysis were used to screen for risk factors, establish a fatty liver disease predictive model, and forecast the risk of MAFLD. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated by measurement of discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness.

RESULTS

The nomogram provided good predictions in a model that included body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. The areas under the curve of the nomogram were 0.793 in the development cohort and 0.774 in the validation cohort. The nomogram performed well for calibration, category-free net reclassification improvement, and integrated discrimination improvement. Decision curve analysis indicated the nomogram performed better than BMI for predicting net outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

The nomogram was an effective screening tool for fatty liver disease, and for those overweight individuals, may help physicians make appropriate decisions regarding treatment of MAFLD.

Cascade of care for children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis C. World J Gastroenterol 2021;27:1117-1131. [PMID: 33828389 PMCID: PMC8006101 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i12.1117]

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection presents a significant global public health burden. In 2015, over 400000 deaths worldwide were attributed to HCV infection. This led the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016 to set the ambitious goal of eliminating HCV by 2030. Adult-centered guidelines have been established in order to provide direction for healthcare professionals, allowing integration of the newest screening policies and therapeutic strategies into their practices. However, for children and adolescents, HCV is a significant, unrecognized public health problem. HCV infection rates in the United States in women of childbearing age and those who are pregnant have increased in parallel with the rising opioid epidemic. An estimated 29000 women with HCV infection gave birth each year from 2011 to 2014 in the United States, with approximately 1700 of their infants being infected with HCV. Newer HCV-specific therapeutics, namely direct acting antivirals (DAA), has brought a new and highly successful approach to treatment of hepatitis C. Recent studies have confirmed similar levels of effectiveness and safety of DAA therapies in the pediatric population. Thus, an enhanced cascade of care, which should include the population under 18 years of age, can help achieve the WHO goal by focusing on elimination in the youngest populations. This review will present an overview of the natural history, clinical features, and management of HCV in children and adolescents.