Tissue Matching and Early Rejection of Cadaveric-Donor Renal Allografts: The Importance of Unidentified Donor Antigens

Tissue typing has been reviewed in a series of 100 technically successful cadaveric-donor kidney grafts. The criterion of transplant failure was immunological rejection causing total loss of function within three months of operation.No significant correlation was observed between matching grade and graft failure due to early acute rejection. This is attributed to the failure to detect at least one “LA” or “4” antigen (as defined in our laboratory), representing a potential incompatibility, in 89% of the grafts, and in the remaining 11% to the lack of an available recipient with identical “LA” and “4” typing. Undetected antigens on the donor are usually incompatible, and probably these incompatibilities unfavourably influence early graft survival.If the results of cadaveric-donor renal transplantation are to equal those of transplantation from well-matched living related donors it will be necessary to type with sera which can recognize individually all HL-A antigens, including those not yet identified, and to create an international pool of over 1,000 potential recipients.     

肝移植急性排斥反应时外周血Th17细胞的特征及意义

目的:观测肝移植患者术前及术后急性排斥时外周血中Th17细胞频率变化特征,探讨其与肝移植术后急性排斥发生的关系。方法:对18例于我院进行肝移植手术的患者进行随访研究,应用流式细胞仪检测各随访点外周血中Th17细胞频率。随访期间发生急性排斥反应的患者为急排组(n=7,男女比为5/2),未发生急性排斥反应者为非急排组(n=11,男女比为8/3),比较两组患者肝移植前后外周血中Th17细胞频率的变化规律。结果:急排组与非急排组患者肝移植术前外周血中Th17细胞频率无统计学差异(P=0.672),而急排组患者发生急性排斥反应时与非急排组患者相比Th17细胞频率明显升高(P=0.002)。在随访研究中,急排组患者在发生急性排斥反应时外周血中Th17细胞频率较未发生急性排斥反应时增高,且Th17细胞频率与ALT变化趋势一致,呈明显正性相关。而非急排组患者术后随访期间外周血中Th17细胞频率无统计学差异。结论:肝移植患者术后发生急性排斥反应时外周血中Th17细胞频率明显升高,变化趋势与ALT水平一致,呈正性相关,可能成为诊断急性排斥反应的潜在指标。     

Early Histological and Functional Effects of Chronic Copper Exposure in Rat Liver

Cu is an essential trace element capable of producing toxic effects in animals and man when ingested acutely or chronically in excess. Although chronic Cu exposure is increasingly recognized as a public health issue, its early effects remain largely unknown. We approached the significance of a moderate chronic Cu load in young rats to correlate early hepatic histopathological changes with functional alterations of liver cells. For this purpose, supplementation with 1200 ppm of Cu in rat food for 16 weeks was chosen. In these conditions, Cu load elicited a significant decrease in growth curves. There were mild light microscopy alterations in Cu-treated rats, although increasing intracellular Cu storage was correlated with longer Cu exposure both by histological and biochemical measurements. Ultrastructural alterations included lysosomal inclusions as well as mitochondrial and nuclear changes. Liver perfusion studies revealed higher rates of basal O₂ consumption and colloidal carbon-induced O₂ uptake in Cu-treated rats, with enhanced carbon-induced O₂/carbon uptake ratios and NF-κB DNA binding activity. These changes were time-dependent and returned to control values after 12 or16 weeks. It is concluded that subchronic Cu loading in young rats induces early hepatic morphological changes, with enhancement in Küpffer cell-dependent respiratory burst activity and NF-κB DNA binding, cellular responses that may prevent or alleviate the hepatotoxicity of the metal.     

Protective Effect of Gadolinium Chloride on Early Warm Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rat Bile Duct during Liver Transplantation

Background

Activation of Kupffer cell (KC) is acknowledged as a key event in the initiation and perpetuation of bile duct warm ischemia/reperfusion injury. The inhibitory effect of gadolinium chloride (GdCl₃) on KC activation shows potential as a protective intervention in liver injury, but there is less research with regard to bile duct injury.

Methods

Sixty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats (200–250 g) were randomly divided into three experimental groups: a sham group (n = 15), a control group (n = 25), and a GdCl₃ group (n = 25). Specimen was collected at 0.5, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h after operation. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBIL) of serum were measured. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Capase-3 activity and soluble Fas (sFas) were detected. The pathologic changes of bile duct were observed. Immunochemistry for bile duct Fas was performed. Apoptosis of bile duct cells was evaluated by the terminal UDP nick end labeling assay.

Results

GdCl₃ significantly decreased the levels of ALT, ALP and TBIL at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h, and increased serum sFas at 2, 6 and 12 h (P<0.05). TNF-α was lower in the GdCl₃ group than in the control group at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h (P<0.05). Preadministration of GdCl₃ significantly reduced the Caspase-3 activity and bile duct cell apoptosis at 2, 6, 12 and 24 h. After operation for 2, 6 and 12 h, the expression of Fas protein was lower in the GdCl₃ group than in the control group (P<0.05).

Conclusions

GdCl₃ plays an important role in suppressing bile duct cell apoptosis, including decreasing ALT, ALP, TBIL and TNF-α; suppressing Fas-FasL-Caspase signal transduction during transplantation.     

Spleen Stiffness Is Superior to Liver Stiffness for Predicting Esophageal Varices in Chronic Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis

MethodsPubmed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Ovid were searched for all studies assessing SS and LS simultaneously in EV diagnosis. A total of 16 studies including 1892 patients were included in this meta-analysis, and the pooled statistical parameters were calculated using the bivariate mixed effects models.ResultsIn detection of any EV, for LS measurement, the summary sensitivity was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78–0.87), and the specificity was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.60–0.72). While for SS measurement, the pooled sensitivity and specificity was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.83–0.92) and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.73–0.83). The summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve values of LS and SS were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.77–0.84) and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.85–0.91) respectively, and the results had statistical significance (P<0.01). The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of SS (25.73) was significantly higher than that of LS (9.54), with the relative DOR value was 2.48 (95%CI: 1.10–5.60), P<0.05.ConclusionsUnder current techniques, SS is significantly superior to LS for identifying the presence of EV in patients with CLD. SS measurement may help to select patients for endoscopic screening.     

The Ratio of Circulating Regulatory T Cells (Tregs)/Th17 Cells Is Associated with Acute Allograft Rejection in Liver Transplantation

CD4⁺CD25⁺FoxP3⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and Th17 cells are known to be involved in the alloreactive responses in organ transplantation, but little is known about the relationship between Tregs and Th17 cells in the context of liver alloresponse. Here, we investigated whether the circulating Tregs/Th17 ratio is associated with acute allograft rejection in liver transplantation. In present study, thirty-eight patients who received liver transplant were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups: acute allograft rejection group (Gr-AR) (n = 16) and stable allograft liver function group (Gr-SF) (n = 22). The frequencies of circulating Tregs and circulating Th17 cells, as well as Tregs/Th17 ratio were determined using flow cytometry. The association between Tregs/Th17 ratio and acute allograft rejection was then analyzed. Our results showed that the frequency of circulating Tregs was significantly decreased, whereas the frequency of circulating Th17 cells was significantly increased in liver allograft recipients who developed acute rejection. Tregs/Th17 ratio had a negative correlation with liver damage indices and the score of rejection activity index (RAI) after liver transplantation. In addition, the percentages of CTLA-4⁺, HLA-DR⁺, Ki67⁺, and IL-10⁺ Tregs were higher in Gr-SF group than in Gr-AR group. Our results suggested that the ratio of circulating Tregs/Th17 cells is associated with acute allograft rejection, thus the ratio may serve as an alternative marker for the diagnosis of acute rejection.     

Accounting for Protein Subcellular Localization: A Compartmental Map of the Rat Liver Proteome

Accurate knowledge of the intracellular location of proteins is important for numerous areas of biomedical research including assessing fidelity of putative protein-protein interactions, modeling cellular processes at a system-wide level and investigating metabolic and disease pathways. Many proteins have not been localized, or have been incompletely localized, partly because most studies do not account for entire subcellular distribution. Thus, proteins are frequently assigned to one organelle whereas a significant fraction may reside elsewhere. As a step toward a comprehensive cellular map, we used subcellular fractionation with classic balance sheet analysis and isobaric labeling/quantitative mass spectrometry to assign locations to >6000 rat liver proteins. We provide quantitative data and error estimates describing the distribution of each protein among the eight major cellular compartments: nucleus, mitochondria, lysosomes, peroxisomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, plasma membrane and cytosol. Accounting for total intracellular distribution improves quality of organelle assignments and assigns proteins with multiple locations. Protein assignments and supporting data are available online through the Prolocate website (http://prolocate.cabm.rutgers.edu). As an example of the utility of this data set, we have used organelle assignments to help analyze whole exome sequencing data from an infant dying at 6 months of age from a suspected neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder of unknown etiology. Sequencing data was prioritized using lists of lysosomal proteins comprising well-established residents of this organelle as well as novel candidates identified in this study. The latter included copper transporter 1, encoded by SLC31A1, which we localized to both the plasma membrane and lysosome. The patient harbors two predicted loss of function mutations in SLC31A1, suggesting that this may represent a heretofore undescribed recessive lysosomal storage disease gene.     

Interactions Between Metals in Rat Liver and Kidney: Localization of Metallothionein

The interactions between two essential metals, Cu and Zn, and the localization and concentration of metallothionein have been studied in rat liver and kidney. Rats receiving daily intraperitoneal injections of Cu for 3 days, or Zn for 2 days, or Cu for 3 days followed by Zn for 2 days, were sacrificed 24, 72, 120h after the final injection. Our data indicate that Cu and Zn are both good inductors of metallothionein synthesis in rat tissues. Synergism between Cu and Zn in metallothionein synthesis was also observed as indicated by immunocytochemical experiments and chemical analysis. Moreover, in rats injected with Cu followed by Zn, the localization of metallothionein and the concentrations of both metallothionein and metal differed over time according to the organs considered. In rat kidney, a delay in the excretory process was also observed and metallothionein was present 120h after the last injection.     

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine for the Treatment of Chronic Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

It has been well established that S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) is the principal methyl donor in methyltransferase reactions and that SAMe supplementation restores hepatic glutathione (GSH) deposits and attenuates liver injury. However, the effectiveness of SAMe therapy in chronic liver disease has not been adequately addressed. We searched globally recognized electronic databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Database and EMBASE, to retrieve relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of chronic liver disease published in the past 20 years. We then performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the enrolled trials that met the inclusion criteria.The results showed that twelve RCTs from 11 studies, which examined 705 patients, were included in this research. For liver function, certain results obtained from data synthesis and independent comparisons demonstrated significant differences between the levels of total bilirubin (TBIL) and aspartate transaminase (AST). However, no studies identified significant differences regarding alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. An analysis of the adverse events and long-term prognosis also indicated no significant differences between the SAMe and the placebo groups. In a subgroup analysis of gravidas and children, several of the included data indicated that there was a significant difference in the pruritus score. Furthermore, the results regarding ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and stronger neo-minophagen C (SNMC) indicated that both treatments were more effective than SAMe was in certain chronic liver diseases. These findings suggest that SAMe could be used as the basis of a medication regimen for liver function improvement because of its safety. However, SAMe also demonstrated limited clinical value in the treatment of certain chronic liver diseases.     

Association of Early Age at Establishment of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection with Persistent Viral Replication,Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

Age at infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a known risk factor for chronic HBV infection. However, in addition, there is some evidence that early age at infection further increases the risk of primary liver cancer beyond its association with increased risk of chronic infection. This systematic review of observational studies assesses the association between age at initiation of chronic HBV infection and liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and their predictors including indicators of ongoing viral replication and hepatic damage. The review includes birth order and maternal HBV serology as proxies for age at infection. Electronic searches in two English-language (Medline and Embase, until Jan 2012) and two Chinese-language (CNKI and SinoMed, until Sep 2012) databases without language restriction and manual search through reference lists identified 7,077 papers, of which 19 studies of 21 outcomes (8 primary liver cancer, 1 liver cirrhosis, 10 viral replication and 2 liver inflammation) are included. One study directly examined the age at infection in a longitudinal cohort, 12 assessed maternal sero-status and 6 investigated birth order. The direction of associations in all studies was in accordance with our hypothesis that earlier age at infection is associated with worse outcomes in addition to its effect of increasing the probability of chronic HBV infection. This has implications for the control of hepatitis B.     

白介素-17A在小鼠慢性胰腺炎中的作用研究

目的:研究白细胞介素-17A在小鼠慢性胰腺炎模型中的表达及其对小鼠星状细胞的影响。方法:建立雨蛙肽诱导的小鼠实验性慢性胰腺炎动物模型,利用实时荧光定量PCR、ELISA、免疫组化和Western-blot等手段检测白介素-17A在雨蛙肽诱导的小鼠慢性胰腺炎模型中的表达变化及免疫活性。用重组白介素-17A作用于小鼠胰腺星状细胞,检测其对星状细胞活化的作用,并进一步探究其对促胰腺纤维化炎症因子白介素-6、白介素-1β、TGF-β在mRNA水平的表达变化。结果:慢性胰腺炎胰腺组织中白介素-17A受体IL-17RA及IL-17RC mRNA水平的表达较正常胰腺明显升高,慢性胰腺炎小鼠胰腺组织中IL-17A蛋白水平较正常小鼠明显升高,CP小鼠血清中IL-17A蛋白水平(56.40±10.50 pg/L)较NC组(27.88±5.74pg/L)亦明显升高,IL-17A在正常胰腺组织中鲜有表达(8.9±2.72%),而在CP组织中呈强阳性表达(55.84±5.71%),其免疫活性主要定位于间质炎性细胞及导管样复合体中;重组白介素-17A可促进小鼠星状细胞活化,并直接诱导星状细胞表达白介素-6、白介素-1β以及TGF-β等促纤维化细胞因子。结论:白介素-17A在雨蛙肽诱导的小鼠慢性胰腺炎模型中表达上调,并可能通过诱导小鼠星状细胞表达促炎细胞因子白介素-6、白介素-1β和TGF-β,促进胰腺星状细胞活化以及胰腺纤维化。     

Bile Duct Ligation in Mice: Induction of Inflammatory Liver Injury and Fibrosis by Obstructive Cholestasis

In most vertebrates, the liver produces bile that is necessary to emulsify absorbed fats and enable the digestion of lipids in the small intestine as well as to excrete bilirubin and other metabolic products. In the liver, the experimental obstruction of the extrahepatic biliary system initiates a complex cascade of pathological events that leads to cholestasis and inflammation resulting in a strong fibrotic reaction originating from the periportal fields. Therefore, surgical ligation of the common bile duct has become the most commonly used model to induce obstructive cholestatic injury in rodents and to study the molecular and cellular events that underlie these pathophysiological mechanisms induced by inappropriate bile flow. In recent years, different surgical techniques have been described that either allow reconnection or reanastomosis after bile duct ligation (BDL), e.g., partial BDL, or other microsurgical methods for specific research questions. However, the most frequently used model is the complete obstruction of the common bile duct that induces a strong fibrotic response after 21 to 28 days. The mortality rate can be high due to infectious complications or technical inaccuracies. Here we provide a detailed surgical procedure for the BDL model in mice that induce a highly reproducible fibrotic response in accordance to the 3R rule for animal welfare postulated by Russel and Burch in 1959.     

Serum Ceruloplasmin Levels Correlate Negatively with Liver Fibrosis in Males with Chronic Hepatitis B: A New Noninvasive Model for Predicting Liver Fibrosis in HBV-Related Liver Disease

Aims

This study aimed to investigate associations between ceruloplasmin (CP) levels, inflammation grade and fibrosis stages in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and to establish a noninvasive model to predict cirrhosis.

Methods

Liver biopsy samples and sera were collected from 198 CHB patients randomized into a training group (n=109) and a validation group (n=89). CP levels were determined using nephelometric immunoassays. Relationships between CP and liver inflammation and fibrosis were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of CP for determining liver fibrosis in CHB. The liver pathology-predictive model was built using multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify relevant indicators.

Results

CP levels were lower in males than in females, lower in patients with inflammation stage G4 compared to other stages and lower in cirrhotic compared to non-cirrhotic patients. Using area under the curve (AUC) values, CP levels distinguished different stages of inflammation and fibrosis. Multivariate analysis showed that CP levels were all significantly associated with cirrhosis in males. A model was developed combining routine laboratory markers APPCI (alpha-fetoprotein [AFP], prothrombin time, and platelets [PLT] with CP) to predict fibrosis in CHB patients. The APPCI had a significantly greater AUC than FIB-4 (aspartate aminotransferase [AST]/ alanine aminotransferase [ALT]/PLT/age), APRI (AST/PLT ratio index), GPI (globin/PLT), and APGA (AST/PLT/gammaglutamyl transpeptidase [GGT]) models (all P-values<0.001).

Conclusions

CP levels correlate negatively and indirectly with inflammation and fibrosis stages in male CHB patients. The APPCI model uses routine laboratory variables with CP to accurately predict liver fibrosis in CHB.     

慢性乙型肝炎患者血清IL-17A、GP73水平与肝功能指标及病情严重程度的关系分析

摘要 目的：探讨慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者血清白细胞介素-17A (IL-17A)、高尔基体蛋白73(GP73)水平与肝功能指标及病情严重程度的关系。方法：选取2018年10月至2019年10月于青海大学附属医院就诊的CHB患者93例作为研究对象（CHB组）,另选取同时期于我院体检的健康志愿者33例作为对照组。比较不同病情严重程度、不同乙型肝炎e抗原（HbeAg）表达的CHB患者IL-17A、GP73水平及肝功能相关指标[丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、门冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）、白蛋白、总胆红素（TBiL）]的差异,并分析IL-17A、GP73水平与患者病情严重程度及肝功能相关指标的相关性。结果：CHB组中轻度、中度、重度患者血清IL-17A、GP73、ALT、AST及TBiL水平均高于对照组,白蛋白水平低于对照组（P<0.05）,并且随着CHB患者病情严重程度的加重其血清中IL-17A、GP73、ALT、AST及TBiL水平逐渐升高,白蛋白水平逐渐降低（P<0.05）。CHB组HbeAg阴性患者血清中的IL-17A、GP73、ALT及AST水平均明显高于HbeAg阳性患者（P<0.05）,而白蛋白和TBiL水平无明显差异（P>0.05）。CHB患者血清IL-17A、GP73均与ALT、AST及TBiL呈正相关,与白蛋白呈负相关,与患者病情严重程度呈正相关（P<0.05）。结论：CHB患者血清中IL-17A、GP73水平明显升高,且与患者病情严重程度及肝功能相关指标呈明显相关性,临床中可联合检测用于患者病情评估及预后监测。     

Association of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a frequent, under-recognized condition and a risk factor for renal failure and cardiovascular disease. Increasing evidence connects non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to CKD. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether the presence and severity of NAFLD are associated with the presence and severity of CKD.

Methods and Findings

English and non-English articles from international online databases from 1980 through January 31, 2014 were searched. Observational studies assessing NAFLD by histology, imaging, or biochemistry and defining CKD as either estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m² or proteinuria were included. Two reviewers extracted studies independently and in duplicate. Individual participant data (IPD) were solicited from all selected studies. Studies providing IPD were combined with studies providing only aggregate data with the two-stage method. Main outcomes were pooled using random-effects models. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were used to explore sources of heterogeneity and the effect of potential confounders. The influences of age, whole-body/abdominal obesity, homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and duration of follow-up on effect estimates were assessed by meta-regression. Thirty-three studies (63,902 participants, 16 population-based and 17 hospital-based, 20 cross-sectional, and 13 longitudinal) were included. For 20 studies (61% of included studies, 11 cross-sectional and nine longitudinal, 29,282 participants), we obtained IPD. NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of prevalent (odds ratio [OR] 2.12, 95% CI 1.69–2.66) and incident (hazard ratio [HR] 1.79, 95% CI 1.65–1.95) CKD. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was associated with a higher prevalence (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.58–4.05) and incidence (HR 2.12, 95% CI 1.42–3.17) of CKD than simple steatosis. Advanced fibrosis was associated with a higher prevalence (OR 5.20, 95% CI 3.14–8.61) and incidence (HR 3.29, 95% CI 2.30–4.71) of CKD than non-advanced fibrosis. In all analyses, the magnitude and direction of effects remained unaffected by diabetes status, after adjustment for other risk factors, and in other subgroup and meta-regression analyses. In cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, the severity of NAFLD was positively associated with CKD stages. Limitations of analysis are the relatively small size of studies utilizing liver histology and the suboptimal sensitivity of ultrasound and biochemistry for NAFLD detection in population-based studies.

Conclusion

The presence and severity of NAFLD are associated with an increased risk and severity of CKD. Please see later in the article for the Editors'' Summary     

IL-17A在呼吸道慢性炎症性疾病中的研究进展

白介素-17A(IL-17A)是一种促炎因子,是IL-17细胞因子家族中的一员。该家族的细胞因子分别被命名为IL-17A至IL-17F,IL-17A是该家族中最具代表性的成员,它能够促进炎症细胞释放多种趋化因子、细胞因子和抗菌肽等,诱导中性粒细胞的聚集和增殖,是连接固有免疫和适应性免疫的桥梁。IL-17A的家族细胞因子在很多肺部过敏性、自身免疫性甚至肿瘤性疾病的发生发展和宿主防御中发挥着关键作用,在哮喘、慢性阻塞性肺病(COPD)、囊性纤维化(CF)、结节病、支气管扩张等呼吸道慢性炎症性疾病中均存在异常表达,虽然在多种疾病中未能阐明IL-17A影响疾病发展的具体作用机制,但已证明其水平与疾病的发展存在关联,这不仅为研究相关疾病的发病机制提供了新的切入点,也为其新型治疗手段的研究提供了新的思路。本文就IL-17A在呼吸道慢性炎症性疾病中的研究进展进行综述。     

Performance of Transient Elastography for the Staging of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Transient elastography (TE), a non-invasive tool that measures liver stiffness, has been evaluated in meta-analyses for effectiveness in assessing liver fibrosis in European populations with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). However, these data cannot be extrapolated to populations in Asian countries, where chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is more prevalent. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the overall performance of TE for assessing liver fibrosis in patients with CHB.

Methods

Studies from the literature and international conference abstracts which enrolled only patients with CHB or performed a subgroup analysis of such patients were enrolled. Combined effects were calculated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) and diagnostic accuracy values of each study.

Result

A total of 18 studies comprising 2,772 patients were analyzed. The mean AUROCs for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis (F2), severe fibrosis (F3), and cirrhosis (F4) were 0.859 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.857–0.860), 0.887 (95% CI, 0.886–0.887), and 0.929 (95% CI, 0.928–0.929), respectively. The estimated cutoff for F2 was 7.9 (range, 6.1–11.8) kPa, with a sensitivity of 74.3% and specificity of 78.3%. For F3, the cutoff value was determined to be 8.8 (range, 8.1–9.7) kPa, with a sensitivity of 74.0% and specificity of 63.8%. The cutoff value for F4 was 11.7 (range, 7.3–17.5) kPa, with a sensitivity of 84.6% and specificity of 81.5%.

Conclusion

TE can be performed with good diagnostic accuracy for quantifying liver fibrosis in patients with CHB.