Correlation analysis of liver stiffness detected by ElastPQ elastography with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS) and FIB-4 index in the diagnosis of fatty liver

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To evaluate liver stiffness and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) fibrosis score (NFS) measured by ElastPQ elastography, and to investigate their correlation with liver fibrosis index (FIB-4) in the diagnosis of fatty liver. Methods A total of 30 patients with pure NAFLD and 30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with NAFLD were selected as observation group 1 and 2, respectively, from the Third People's Hospital of Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, between October 2019 and October 2020. Additionally, 30 healthy subjects from the health examination center of the same hospital during the same period were selected as the comparison group. All participants underwent ElastPQ elastography. The ElastPQ value, NFS score, and FIB-4 index of mild, moderate and severe patients in the two groups were observed. The correlation between ElastPQ value and NFS score and FIB-4 index was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. Results The ElastPQ value (6.82±1.54) kPa, NFS score (-0.42±0.12), and FIB-4 index (2.82±0.32) of observation group 2 were significantly higher than those of observation group 1 [(5.75±1.02) kPa, (-1.05±0.25), (2.25±0.16)], respectively. Additionally, the ElastPQ values, NFS score, and FIB-4 index of observation group 1 were higher than those in the comparison group [(4.02±0.11)kPa, (-1.68±0.34), (1.02±0.11)], respectively. These differences were all statistically significant, P＜0.05. The ElastPQ value, NFS score, and FIB-4 index of moderate-severe patients in observation group 1 and observation group 2 were higher than those in moderate patients, and those in moderate patients were higher than those in mild patients, P<0.05 (all differences were statistically significant). ElastPQ value was positively correlated with NFS score and FIB-4 index, P<0.05 (r=4.967, 5.011) (the difference was statistically significant). Conclusion The ElastPQ value demonstrates a gradual increase with the progression of liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients. There is a discernible correlation between the ElastPQ value and the extent of liver fibrosis. Clinically, the ElastPQ value can be measured by color Doppler ultrasound to evaluate the degree of liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients.

Key words: Fatty liver, ElastPQ elastography, Liver stiffness, Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, Liver fibrosis

WU Bin-bin, XU Xiao-qin, GU Xing-xing, XIE Qi-hua. Correlation analysis of liver stiffness detected by ElastPQ elastography with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS) and FIB-4 index in the diagnosis of fatty liver[J]. Chinese Hepatolgy, 2024, 29(1): 73-76.

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