Diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional shear wave elastography in detecting hepatic fibrosis in children with autoimmune hepatitis, biliary atresia and other chronic liver diseases

Background Although fibrosis is the main determinant of liver stiffness, other disease-related factors usually disregarded in studies on liver elastography, such as inflammation and cholestasis, may influence liver stiffness. Objective To evaluate the accuracy of two-dimensional (2-D) shear wave elastography in assessing liver fibrosis in children with chronic liver disease by controlling for the confounding role of several disease- and patient-related factors. Materials and methods Three disease groups were studied: 1) various chronic liver diseases, 2) autoimmune hepatitis and 3) biliary atresia. The METAVIR (meta-analysis of histological data in viral hepatitis) score was used for fibrosis staging and grading of necroinflammatory activity. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between liver stiffness measurements and disease-related factors. The diagnostic accuracy of elastography for predicting fibrosis stages was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. Results The various chronic liver diseases group ( n =32; 7.1±4.9 [mean±standard deviation] years) showed liver stiffness of 8.9±5.0 (mean±standard deviation) kPa, the autoimmune hepatitis group ( n =33; 8.1±4.4 years) of 7.1±2.7 kPa, and the biliary atresia group ( n =19; 0.2±0.1 years) of 19.7±15.2 kPa. Liver stiffness measurements differed across METAVIR fibrosis categories in all disease groups. The highest values were found in biliary atresia, at fibrosis stages ≥F2 (F2: 12.4±1.6 kPa, F3: 17.8±2 kPa, F4: 41.5±12.4 kPa). Liver stiffness was strongly associated only with fibrosis ( P