Transient elastography (TE) is a valuable noninvasive technique of measuring liver stiffness and a reliable tool for predicting hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. The role of TE in patients with β-thalassemia has not been extensively investigated. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of TE in the assessment of hepatic fibrosis in 115 adult patients with β-thalassemia major (TM) (#59) or intermedia (TI) (#56). TE was performed according to current practice. Histologic data were obtained in 14 cases. Liver iron concentration was assessed by atomic absorption spectrometry and T2* magnetic resonance. In patients with TM, the proportion of anti-HCV positive viremic patients, median serum ferritin levels, and TE values were significantly higher than in TI. In the group of 14 patients who underwent liver biopsy, a significant positive correlation was observed between liver stiffness and fibrosis stage (r = 0.73, P = 0.003). Severe fibrosis is diagnosed with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 89%, whereas cirrhosis is detected with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 92%. At multivariate analysis, the variables independently associated with TE were ALT, GGT, and bilirubin levels in both groups and, in patients with TM, HCV RNA positivity. In β-thalassemia patients, TE is a reliable tool for assessing liver fibrosis even if the influence of iron overload has to be clarified.
Transient elastography in the assessment of liver fibrosis in adult thalassemia patients / M. Fraquelli, E. Cassinerio, A. Roghi, C. Rigamonti, G. Casazza, M. Colombo, S. Massironi, D. Conte, M. D. Cappellini. - In: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY. - ISSN 0361-8609. - 85:8(2010 Aug), pp. 564-568.
Titolo: | Transient elastography in the assessment of liver fibrosis in adult thalassemia patients |
Autori: | CONTE, DARIO (Penultimo) CAPPELLINI, MARIA DOMENICA (Ultimo) |
Settore Scientifico Disciplinare: | Settore MED/09 - Medicina Interna |
Data di pubblicazione: | ago-2010 |
Rivista: | |
Tipologia: | Article (author) |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajh.21752 |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 01 - Articolo su periodico |