Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: Liver biopsy is the gold standard method to evaluate patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, due to its several limitations and complications, a reliable and non-invasive marker is required to assess liver fibrosis. In this study, we compared the performance of the FIB-4 index [based on age, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and platelets count] with the Scheuer scoring system of liver biopsies to evaluate the diagnostic utility of FIB-4 among NAFLD patients with different liver fibrosis severities.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at An-Najah National University Hospital (NNUH) in Palestine. The FIB-4 index was calculated using laboratory data for 128 NAFLD patients who underwent liver biopsies between November 2014 and July 2022. The results of FIB-4 were compared with the Scheuer scoring system of liver biopsies (using F0, F1+F2, F3+F4) to determine the sensitivity and specificity of FIB-4 in detecting and staging liver fibrosis.
RESULTS: Out of 128 patients involved in our study, 49 of them had advanced fibrosis according to liver biopsy (F3+F4), where their FIB-4 indices showed 87% sensitivity at 1.45 cut off point and 87% specificity at 3.25 cut off point.
CONCLUSIONS: The FIB-4 index may be used as a screening tool in the primary care setting. To raise awareness of liver diseases, this non-invasive, inexpensive, simple, and quick marker could identify people in need of further liver fibrosis evaluation and diagnosis.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at An-Najah National University Hospital (NNUH) in Palestine. The FIB-4 index was calculated using laboratory data for 128 NAFLD patients who underwent liver biopsies between November 2014 and July 2022. The results of FIB-4 were compared with the Scheuer scoring system of liver biopsies (using F0, F1+F2, F3+F4) to determine the sensitivity and specificity of FIB-4 in detecting and staging liver fibrosis.
RESULTS: Out of 128 patients involved in our study, 49 of them had advanced fibrosis according to liver biopsy (F3+F4), where their FIB-4 indices showed 87% sensitivity at 1.45 cut off point and 87% specificity at 3.25 cut off point.
CONCLUSIONS: The FIB-4 index may be used as a screening tool in the primary care setting. To raise awareness of liver diseases, this non-invasive, inexpensive, simple, and quick marker could identify people in need of further liver fibrosis evaluation and diagnosis.
摘要：
目的：肝活检是评估非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）患者的金标准。然而,由于它的一些局限性和并发症，评估肝纤维化需要一种可靠的非侵入性标志物.在这项研究中,我们比较了FIB-4指数的表现[基于年龄，天冬氨酸转氨酶（AST），和丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）水平和血小板计数]与肝活检的Scheuer评分系统，以评估FIB-4在具有不同肝纤维化严重度的NAFLD患者中的诊断效用。
方法：在巴勒斯坦的An-Najah国立大学医院（NNUH）进行了一项横断面研究。使用2014年11月至2022年7月期间接受肝活检的128名NAFLD患者的实验室数据计算FIB-4指数。将FIB-4的结果与肝活检的Scheuer评分系统（使用F0，F1F2，F3F4）进行比较，以确定FIB-4在检测和分期肝纤维化中的敏感性和特异性。
结果：在参与我们研究的128名患者中，根据肝活检（F3+F4），其中49例具有晚期纤维化，他们的FIB-4指数在1.45切点显示87%的敏感性，在3.25切点显示87%的特异性。
结论：FIB-4指数可用作初级保健环境中的筛查工具。提高对肝脏疾病的认识,这种非侵入性的，便宜,简单,和快速标记物可以识别需要进一步肝纤维化评估和诊断的人。
方法：在巴勒斯坦的An-Najah国立大学医院（NNUH）进行了一项横断面研究。使用2014年11月至2022年7月期间接受肝活检的128名NAFLD患者的实验室数据计算FIB-4指数。将FIB-4的结果与肝活检的Scheuer评分系统（使用F0，F1F2，F3F4）进行比较，以确定FIB-4在检测和分期肝纤维化中的敏感性和特异性。
结果：在参与我们研究的128名患者中，根据肝活检（F3+F4），其中49例具有晚期纤维化，他们的FIB-4指数在1.45切点显示87%的敏感性，在3.25切点显示87%的特异性。
结论：FIB-4指数可用作初级保健环境中的筛查工具。提高对肝脏疾病的认识,这种非侵入性的，便宜,简单,和快速标记物可以识别需要进一步肝纤维化评估和诊断的人。
