Browsing by Author "Kallio, Markus"

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the Western world covering a range from hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis (NASH) with or without fibrosis. In a substantial number of patients, steatosis progresses to NASH, which is characterized by inflammation and cell death. Fibrosis increases risk of cirrhosis and overall mortality. NAFLD predisposes to hepatocellular carcinoma. NASH and fibrosis can be diagnosed in liver biopsy. However, non-invasive transient elastography can be used to measure liver stiffness as an estimate for fibrosis. We assessed which physical and biochemical variables associated with liver stiffness measured with transient elastography in 89 subjects. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) had the strongest association with increased liver stiffness in both linear and logistic regression models. It could easily be monitored in patients and used to get initial information on increased liver stiffness. In the literature review, I searched studies examining factors predicting advanced liver fibrosis and evaluated studies that had assessed the accuracy of transient elastography as a non-invasive method.