Liver stiffness measurements identify patients with rapid or slow fibrosis
Tuesday, January 5, 2010 - 11:07
in Health & Medicine
A recent study by doctors from the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, Spain determined that repeated liver stiffness measurements (LSM) in the first year following liver transplant (LT) could discriminate between slow and rapid "fibrosers" (patients with fibrosis stage of F2-F4 one year post LT). LSM were extremely accurate, particularly at the 6-month post LT point, in detecting severity of fibrosis. Determining those at risk for a recurrence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) allows for early-stage administration of therapies that could prevent LT or graft failure. The full findings are published in the January 2010 issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.