Abstracts of the 2022 Annual Meeting of the ALEH
More infoFatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction is a global health problem with a prevalence of about 25% worldwide. The measurement of hepatic stiffness by elastography stratifies patients with a greater propensity for cirrhosis in addition to systemic manifestations. This study aimed to estimate liver fibrosis and sarcopenia in patients at risk for metabolic fatty liver disease.
Materials and MethodsSelected patients were selected for cross-sectional clinical evaluation. Non-invasive assessment was performed using biomarkers, assessment of APRI and FIB-4, ultrasound and elastography. By ultrassonography 12 % had light steatosis, 12% moderate and the sarcopenia tests used were: self-reported registry, hand grip test and hepatic frailty index (FI) test.
ResultsOur series of 49 patients was 80.6% female and 19.4% male; mean age of 59 years, mean BMI 32 kg/m²; 28.6% had fibrosis >=2, designated as significant. The elastography average obtained was 9 kpa. Steatosis by the parameter attenuation coefficient (CAP) was not significantly different according to fibrosis. Fibrosis was associated with elevated AST (p value 0.04). ALT and fibrosis were not correlated (p=0.07). The mean value of the FIB-4 was 1.47, while that of the APRI was 0.36. Five patients in our series presented sarcopenia by LFI and there was a correlation with the presence of hepatic fibrosis (p<0.05).
ConclusionsOur study showed 28.6% of a quaternary hospital with MAFLD risk had fibrosis by elastography, 31.5% altered FIB-4, and 13.5% altered APRI. Fibrosis by elastography and by the FIB-4 test is more sensitive than APRI. Sarcopenia by liver frailty index was correlated with fibrosis, although other studies are necessary for an accurate conclusion.
