Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: November | Volume: 6 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 1-9
NAFLD Fibrosis Score or Ultrasonography a Better Practical Aid In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease – A Hospital Based Comparative Study
Prof. V Abdul Jaleel1, Dr Ram Narayan2
1Professor, 2Assistant Professor,
Department of General Medicine, MES Medical College, Perinthalmanna, Malappuram, Kerala, India.
Corresponding Author: Dr Ram Narayan
ABSTRACT
Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging treat which may be taken as hepatic counterpart of metabolic syndrome. NAFLD is the earliest manifestation of metabolic syndrome and hence the need for devising the best screening tool for NAFLD that is cheap, simple and reliable. Here in this study we compare two important screening tools for NAFLD – ultrasonography and NAFLD fibrosis score.
Methods: This was a hospital based non-interventional observational study. After applying necessary inclusion and exclusion criteria, the study population was assessed in detail with set proforma and relevant investigations. The association of co-morbidities with ultrasonography and NAFLD fibrosis score was assessed. The agreement between ultrasonography and NAFLD fibrosis score in detecting hepatic fibrosis was assessed and reasons for discrepancy if any were also noted.
Results: Mean age of the study population of 377 was 43.8 years. Asymptomatic hepatomegaly was the single most common clinical sign. Significant association was noted between presence of co-morbidities and severity of fibrosis in ultrasonography and NAFLD fibrosis score. Fibrosis score had fair agreement with ultrasound and the factors which produced significant fibrosis score in those detected to have mild fibrosis with ultrasound were increasing age and body mass index
Conclusions: NAFLD fibrosis score is a cheap screening tool applicable to majority of susceptible population. Even though score has many advantages over ultrasound the clinical applicability is still debatable due to its slight overestimation of fibrosis. NAFLD fibrosis score is excellent as a screening tool but doubtful as a diagnostic one.
Key words: Non-alcoholic fatty liver, NAFLD fibrosis score, ultrasonography, metabolic syndrome, hepatomegaly
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