Features associated with success rate and performance of fibroscan measurements

[Guest guest]

J Hepatol. 2006 Dec 12; [Epub ahead of print]

Features associated with success rate and performance of fibroscan

measurements for the diagnosis of cirrhosis in HCV patients: A prospective

study of 935 patients.

Kettaneh A, Marcellin P, Douvin C, Poupon R, Ziol M, Beaugrand M, de

Ledinghen V.

Service de Medecine Interne, Hopital Saint-Antoine, Assistance

Publique/Hopitaux de Paris, Paris and Universite Pierre et Marie Curie,

Paris, France.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: FibroScan(®), a non-invasive procedure for the diagnosis

of cirrhosis, benefits only patients for which at least 10 valid shots are

acquired. We investigated features associated with success rate of shots,

and performance of FibroScan(®) for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. METHODS:

Liver biopsy and stiffness measurement were performed in HCV patients.

AUROCs and mixed logistic models evaluated the influence of patient and

operator features on the success of shots and the performance for the

diagnosis of cirrhosis. RESULTS: Nine hundred and thirty five (935) patients

were included. Success rate of shots decreased with age, and was lower in

obese than in other patients. After adjusting for age and obesity, an

operator with at least 50 prior FibroScan(®) exams had a higher success

rate in shots. FibroScan(®) performance for the diagnosis of cirrhosis was

not influenced by the number of valid shots taken into account and by

operator skills. CONCLUSIONS: After a rapid training, FibroScan(®)

provides a reasonable performance for the diagnosis of cirrhosis that is not

influenced substantially by any other feature. More patients will benefit

from this procedure with no significant loss in performance if only 5 valid

shots are requested. These results should emphasize the use of

FibroScan(®) even in non-specialized units.

PMID: 17258346 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

_________________________________________________________________

From predictions to trailers, check out the MSN Entertainment Guide to the

Academy Awards®

http://movies.msn.com/movies/oscars2007/?icid=ncoscartagline1