Elastography as a diagnostic tool for assessment of liver stiffness in children with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease (CFLD) is a leading cause of mortality. There is no specific test for CFLD diagnosis. Elastography is a noninvasive imaging method for assessing chronic liver disease. We aim in this work to assess the degree of liver stiffness in children with CF using transient elastography (TE).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 50 children with CF during their outpatient care and 25 healthy children as a control group. Recruitment started in December 2020 until January 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, then resumed from June 2021 till June 2022. The study included a clinical picture, biochemical analysis, and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using TE (FibroScan).

RESULTS

Abnormal elastography was reported in 8% of CF children. Mean liver stiffness (LS) byTE was non significantly higher among CF cases when compared with controls (Mean ± SD: 4.9 ± 3.86 Kpa vs 3.85 ± 0.64 Kpa) (P = 0.326). LSM significantly positively correlated with age (r = 0.409; p = 0.003). AST to platelet ratio index (APRI) was significantly higher among patients with CF than control (P < 0.001). Cystic fibrosis liver disease (CFLD) was diagnosed in 8/50 patients (4%).

CONCLUSION

Transient elastography can be used to assess liver diseases in patients with CF. AST and ALT do not correlate with LSM.