应用瞬时弹性成像技术联合APRI和AAR指数评估慢性乙型肝炎患者肝纤维化临床价值研究

目的 探讨应用瞬时弹性成像技术联合天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)/血小板指数(APRI)和AST/丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)比值(AAR)评估慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者肝纤维化的临床价值.方法 2017年5月 ～2018年5月我院收治的CHB患者118例,给予所有患者恩替卡韦治疗观察12个月,治疗前接受肝活检,使用法国...     

Noninvasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

AIM: To evaluate the accuracy of specific biochemical markers for the assessment of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.METHODS: One hundred and fifty-four patients with chronic HCV infection were included in this study; 124 patients were non-cirrhotic, and 30 were cirrhotic. The following measurements were obtained in all patients: serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin, total bilirubin, prothrombin time and concentration, complete blood count, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HCVAb, HCV-RNA by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, abdominal ultrasound and ultrasonic-guided liver biopsy. The following ratios, scores and indices were calculated and compared with the results of the histopathological examination: AST/ALT ratio (AAR), age platelet index (API), AST to platelet ratio index (APRI), cirrhosis discriminating score (CDS), Pohl score, Göteborg University Cirrhosis Index (GUCI).RESULTS: AAR, APRI, API and GUCI demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy of liver cirrhosis (80.5%, 79.2%, 76.6% and 80.5%, respectively); P values were: < 0.01, < 0.05, < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively. Among the studied parameters, AAR and GUCI gave the highest diagnostic accuracy (80.5%) with cutoff values of 1.2 and 1.5, respectively. APRI, API and GUCI were significantly correlated with the stage of fibrosis (P < 0.001) and the grade of activity (P < 0.001, < 0.001 and < 0.005, respectively), while CDS only correlated significantly with the stage of fibrosis (P < 0.001) and not with the degree of activity (P > 0.05). In addition, we found significant correlations for the AAR, APRI, API, GUCI and Pohl score between the non-cirrhotic (F0, F1, F2, F3) and cirrhotic (F4) groups (P values: < 0.001, < 0.05, < 0.001, < 0.001 and < 0.005, respectively; CDS did not demonstrate significant correlation (P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: The use of AAR, APRI, API, GUCI and Pohl score measurements may decrease the need for liver biopsies in diagnosing cirrhosis, especially in Egypt, where resources are limited.     

FibroScan行肝脏硬度检测和APRI评估慢性丙型肝炎患者肝纤维化程度价值比较*

目的 探讨使用FibroScan行肝脏硬度检测(LSM)和应用门冬氨酸氨基转移酶/血小板比值(APRI)评估慢性丙型肝炎(CHC)患者肝纤维化程度的价值。方法 2016年5月～2020年5月我院收治的CHC患者133例和同期健康体检者133名,接受FibroScan检查及血生化和血液检查,计算APRI。CHC患者接受肝穿刺活检。结果 CHC患者LSM和APRI分别为(10.3±4.2)和(0.8±0.3),显著高于健康人【分别为(4.3±2.0)和(0.3±0.1),P＜0.05】;52例S₁期患者LSM和APRI分别为(6.5±2.4)和(0.6±0.2),37例S₂期患者LSM和APRI分别为(10.3±2.9)和(0.9±0.3),28例S₃期患者LSM和APRI分别为(14.5±4.1)和(1.2±0.5),16例S₄期患者LSM和APRI分别为(18.4±5.7)和(1.8±0.6),相差显著(P＜0.05);经ROC分析LSM预测CHC患者显著肝纤维化(大于等于S2)的曲线下面积(AUC)为0.891,标准误为0.033,P=0.000,95%可信区间为0.826～0.956,最佳截断点为11.200,其诊断的敏感度为0.625,特异度为0.925,而APRI预测CHC患者显著肝纤维化的AUC为0.776,标准误为0.050,P=0.000,95%可信区间为0.678～0.875,最佳截断点为0.795,其敏感度为0.643,特异度为0.887;经相关性分析发现,LSM和APRI与CHC患者肝纤维化程度呈正相关(P＜0.05)。结论 应用LSM和APRI评估CHC患者肝纤维化程度有一定的临床价值,特别是对于存在显著肝纤维化的患者,可早期作出病情判断,对指导临床处理有很大的帮助,值得进一步研究。     

超声弹性成像结合血清学指标诊断慢性乙型肝炎患者肝纤维化价值评价

目的 探讨应用超声弹性成像结合血清学指标诊断慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者肝纤维化的价值。方法 2015年1月～2018年6月我院诊治的CHB患者358例,接受肝穿刺和超声检查,记录肝组织剪切波速度(SWV),使用化学发光免疫分析仪测定血清透明质酸(HA)、Ⅳ型胶原(ⅣⅣ-Col)和Ⅲ型前胶原(PⅢNP),计算天冬氨酸氨基转移酶/血小板比值(APRI)和基于四因子指数(FIB-4),应用多因素Logistic回归分析影响肝纤维化发生的独立危险因素,应用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线下面积(AUC)评估各项指标诊断肝纤维化的准确性。 结果 经肝组织病理学检查,发现F0期42例,F1期96例,F2期86例,F3期72例和F4期62例;220例≥F2期患者肝组织SWV为(3.12±0.65)m/s,显著大于138例≤F1期患者【(1.72±0.51)m/s,P<0.05】;≥F2期患者血清HA水平为(128.1±14.7)μg/L,显著高于≤F1期患者【(75.4±10.1)μg/L,P<0.05】,AST/ALT比值为(0.96±0.41),显著大于≤F1期患者【(0.80±0.27),P<0.05】,血清Ⅳ-Col水平为(36.7±14.3)μg/L,显著高于≤F1期患者【(24.9±9.2)μg/L,P<0.05】,APRI评分为(0.83±0.52)分,显著大于≤F1期患者【(0.61±0.49)分,P<0.05】,FIB-4指数为(1.70±0.98),显著大于≤F1期患者【(1.23±0.67),P<0.05】;多因素Logistic回归分析结果表明,SWV、AST/ALT比值、HA、Ⅳ-Col、APRI和FIB-4为影响肝纤维化发生的危险因素(P<0.05),SWV诊断肝纤维化的正确率为86.9%,血清HA为84.2%,APRI和FIB-4分别为82.5%和81.8%。结论 应用SWV联合血清学指标可提高CHB患者肝纤维化诊断的准确性,值得进一步研究。     

Transient elastography: a non-invasive tool for assessing liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV patients

AIM: To assess the prevalence of advanced liver fibrosis (ALF) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV/HCV patients using transient elastography, and to identify factors associated with ALF. METHODS: Between September 2008 and October 2009, 71 HIV mono-infected, 57 HIV/HCV co-infected and 53 HCV mono-infected patients on regular follow-up at our Center were enrolled in this study. Alcohol intake, the main parameters of liver function, presence of HCV-RNA, HIV-RNA, duration of ...     

APRI as a predictor of early viral response in chronic hepatitis C patients

AIM: To evaluate the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) as a predictive factor of early viral response in chronic hepatitis C naive patients.METHODS: We performed an ambispective casecontrol study. We enrolled chronic hepatitis C naive patients who were evaluated to start therapy with PEGylated interferon a-2b (1.5 mg/kg per week) and ribavirin (> 75 kg: 1200 mg and < 75 kg: 1000 mg). Patients were allocated into two groups, group 1: Hepatitis C patients with early viral response (EVR), group 2: Patients without EVR. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the relationship between each risk factor and the EVR in both groups.RESULTS: During the study, 80 patients were analyzed, 45 retrospectively and 35 prospectively. The mean ± SD age of our subjects was 42.9 ± 12 years; weight 70 kg (± 11.19), AST 64.6 IU/mL (± 48.74), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 76.3 IU/mL (± 63.08) and platelets 209 000 mill/mm3 (± 84 429). Fifty-five (68.8%) were genotype 1 and 25 (31.3%) were genotype 2 or 3; the mean hepatitis C virus RNA viral load was 2 269 061 IU/mL (± 7 220 266). In the univariate analysis, APRI was not associated with EVR [OR 0.61 (95% CI 0.229-1.655, P = 0.33)], and the absence of EVR was only associated with genotype 1 [OR 0.28 (95% CI 0.08-0.94, P = 0.034)]. After adjustment in a logistic regression model, genotype 1 remains significant.CONCLUSION: APRI was not a predictor of EVR in chronic hepatitis C; Genotype 1 was the only predictive factor associated with the absence of EVR in our patients.     

Aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) can predict liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B

BACKGROUND: There have been still few valuable markers that can be used as indirect markers of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate efficacy of several indirect markers of liver fibrosis and to identify the most valuable test in chronic hepatitis B. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 264 patients with chronic hepatitis B were consecutively enrolled. Fibrosis was staged by a single blinded pathologist according to the METAVIR system. Significant fibrosis was defined as stage >or=2. We investigated diagnostic accuracy of four indirect markers including aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index for predicting significant fibrosis. RESULTS: Mean age was 28 years. 53% (141/264) had significant hepatic fibrosis. Of indirect markers, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index yielded the best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-0.91). Positive predictive value/negative predictive value at 0.5, 1.5 and 2.0 of aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index score for predicting significant fibrosis were 63%/91%, 83%/74% and 86%/65%, respectively. The odds ratio for aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index >or=1.4 relative to less than aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index of 1.4 was 17.971 (p<0.0001; 95% confidence interval, 9.677-33.376). CONCLUSIONS: Of simple markers already developed in chronic hepatitis C, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index may be the most accurate and simple marker for predicting significant fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B.     

Shear wave elastography results correlate with liver fibrosis histology and liver function reserve

AIM: To evaluate the correlation of shear wave elastography (SWE) results with liver fibrosis histology and quantitative function reserve. METHODS: Weekly subcutaneous injection of 60% carbon tetrachloride (1.5 mL/kg) was given to 12 canines for 24 wk to induce experimental liver fibrosis, with olive oil given to 2 control canines. At 24 wk, liver condition was evaluated using clinical biochemistry assays, SWE imaging, lidocaine metabolite monoethylglycine-xylidide (MEGX) test, and histologic fibrosis grading. Clinical biochemistry assays were performed at the institutional central laboratory for routine liver function evaluation. Liver stiffness was measured in triplicate from three different intercostal spaces and expressed as mean liver stiffness modulus (LSM). Plasma concentrations of lidocaine and its metabolite MEGX were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography repeated in duplicate. Liver biopsy samples were fixed in 10% formaldehyde, and liver fibrosis was graded using the modified histological activity index Knodell score (F0-F4). Correlations among histologic grading, LSM, and MEGX measures were analyzed with the Pearson linear correlation coefficient. RESULTS: At 24 wk liver fibrosis histologic grading was as follows: F0, n = 2 (control); F1, n = 0; F2, n = 3; F3, n = 7; and F4, n = 2. SWE LSM was positively correlated with histologic grading (r = 0.835, P < 0.001). Specifically, the F4 group had a significantly higher elastic modulus than the F3, F2, and F0 groups (P = 0.002, P = 0.003, and P = 0.006, respectively), and the F3 group also had a significantly higher modulus than the control F0 group (P = 0.039). LSM was negatively associated with plasma MEGX concentrations at 30 min (r = -0.642; P = 0.013) and 60 min (r = -0.651; P = 0.012), time to ½ of the maximum concentration (r = -0.538; P = 0.047), and the area under the curve (r = -0.636; P = 0.014). Multiple comparisons showed identical differences in these three measures: significantly lower with F4 (P = 0.037) and F3 (P = 0.032) as compared to F0 and significantly lower with F4 as compared to F2 (P = 0.032). CONCLUSION: SWE LSM shows a good correlation with histologic fibrosis grading and pharmacologic quantitative liver function reserve in experimental severe fibrosis and cirrhosis.     

Serum complement C4a and its relation to liver fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis C

AIM:To evaluate serum complement C4a and its relation to liver fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection.METHODS:The study included 30 children with chronic HCV infection before receiving antiviral therapy.Chronic HCV infection was defined by positive anti-HCV,a positive polymerase chain reaction for HCV-RNA for more than 6 mo with absence of any associated liver disease.A second group of 30 age-and sex-matched healthy children served as controls.Serum C4a levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Liver fibrosis stage and inflammatory grade were assessed using Ishak scoring system.Serum C4a levels were compared according to different clinical,laboratory and histopathological parameters.Statistical significance for quantitative data was tested by MannWhitney U non-parametric tests.For qualitative data,significance between groups was tested by 2test.Correlation was tested by Spearman’s test.Results were considered significant if P value≤0.05.RESULTS:The age of the patients ranged from 3.5to 18 years and that of controls ranged from 4 to 17years.C4a mean levels were merely lower in patients(153.67±18.69 mg/L)than that in the controls(157.25±11.40 mg/L)with no statistical significance(P=0.378).It did not differ significantly in patients with elevated vs those with normal transaminases(152.25±16.62 vs 155.36±21.33;P=0.868)or with different HCV viremia(P=0.561).Furthermore,there was no statistical significant difference in serum levels between those with no/mild fibrosis and those with moderate fibrosis(154.65±20.59 vs 152.97±17.72;P=0.786)or minimal and mild activity(155.1±21.93 vs 152.99±17.43;P=0.809).Though statistically not significant,C4a was highest in fibrosis score 0(F0),decreasing in F1 and F2 to be the lowest in F3.When comparing significant fibrosis(Ishak score≥3)vs other stages,C4a was significantly lower in F3 compared to other fibrosis scores(143.55±2.33 mg/L vs 155.26±19.64 mg/L;P=0.047)and at a cutoff value of less than 144.01 mg/L,C4a could discriminate F3 with 76.9%sensitivity and75%specificity from other stages of fibrosis.CONCLUSION:Serum complement C4a did not correlate with any of transaminases,HCV viremia or with the histopathological scores.Although C4a decreased with higher stages of fibrosis,this change was not significant enough to predict individual stages of fibrosis.Yet,it could predict significant fibrosis with acceptable clinical performance.     

Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C

Quantification of hepatic fibrosis is of critical importance in chronic hepatitis C not only for prognosis, but also for antiviral treatment indication. Two end points are clinically relevant: detection of significant fibrosis (indication for antiviral treatment) and detection of cirrhosis (screening for eosphageal varices and hepatocellular carcinoma). Until recently, liver biopsy was considered the reference method for the evaluation of liver fibrosis. Limitations of liver biopsy (invasiveness, sampling error, and inter-observer variability) have led to the development of non-invasive methods. Currently available methods rely on two different approaches: a “biological” approach based on the dosage of serum fibrosis biomarkers; and a “physical” approach based on the measurement of liver stiffness, using transient elastography (TE). This review is aimed at discussing the advantages and limits of non-invasive methods and liver biopsy and the perspectives for their rational use in clinical practice in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C.     

瞬时弹性成像技术在慢性肝病肝纤维化诊断中的应用进展

肝脏纤维化程度及进展与慢性肝脏疾病的诊断与治疗密切相关。早期诊断肝纤维化程度有助于避免代偿期患者向肝硬化失代偿期发展,也有助于降低肝细胞癌的发生率。目前,临床上评估肝纤维化程度的“金标准”仍为肝脏穿刺活检,但是由于其操作的有创性,以及穿刺后可能出现的多种并发症等多种因素的影响,限制了它在临床研究中的使用。瞬时弹性成像技术无创、安全、有利于动态监测肝纤维化进展、客观评价肝脏纤维化程度,使其在国内外得到了广泛的认同,在临床上具有良好的应用前景。     

Routine blood tests to predict liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C

AIM: To verify the usefulness of FibroQ for predicting fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C, compared with other noninvasive tests.METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 237 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C who had undergone percutaneous liver biopsy before treatment. FibroQ, aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR), AST to platelet ratio index, cirrhosis discriminant score, age-platelet index (API), Pohl score, FIB-4 index, and Lok’s model were calculated and compared.RESULTS: FibroQ, FIB-4, AAR, API and Lok’s model results increased significantly as fibrosis advanced (analysis of variance test: P < 0.001). FibroQ trended to be superior in predicting significant fibrosis score in chronic hepatitis C compared with other noninvasive tests.CONCLUSION: FibroQ is a simple and useful test for predicting significant fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.     

声触诊弹性成像检测肝脾硬度诊断慢性乙型肝炎患者肝纤维化效能分析

目的 探讨应用声触诊弹性成像(APE)行肝脏硬度检测(LSM)和脾脏硬度检测(SSM)诊断慢性乙型肝炎(CHB)患者肝纤维化的效能.方法 2020年1月～2021年10月我院诊治的CHB患者392例,行肝穿刺组织病理学检查,将≤F1期为非显著性肝纤维化,≥F2期为显著性肝纤维化,F4期为早期肝硬化.使用超声APE计数获...     

瞬时弹性成像技术、APRI及FIB-4对儿童非酒精性脂肪性肝病肝纤维化诊断价值的研究

目的:评估肝脏瞬时弹性成像、天冬氨酸转氨酶与血小板比值指数（APRI）及基于4因子的肝纤维化指数（FIB-4）对儿童非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）肝纤维化的诊断价值。方法:选取湖南省儿童医院2015年8月至2020年10月已行肝穿刺病理活检的非酒精性脂肪性肝病100例进行回顾性研究,收集肝脏病理组织和临床资料。采用受...     

Aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index in hepatitis C virus and Schistosomiasis coinfection

AIM: To assess the diagnostic accuracy,of aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index(APRI) alone and with antischistosomal antibody(Ab) in patients with hepatitis C virus(HCV) and schistosomiasis coinfection. METHODS: This retrospective study included medical records of three hundred and eighty three Egyptianmen patients who had undergone percutaneous liver biopsy between January 2006 to April 2014 in tertiary care hospital in Qatar for diagnosis or monitoring purpose were selected. Data of patients 18 years of age were included in the study. The values of HCV RNA titer and antischistosomal antibody titer were also taken into consideration. Patients were excluded from the study if they had any other concomitant chronic liver disease,including; history of previous antiviral or interferon therapy,immunosuppressive,therapy,chronic hepatitis B infection,human immunodeficiency virus co-infection,autoimmune hepatitis,decompensated liver disease,hepatocellular carcinoma,prior liver transplantation,and if no data about the liver biopsy present. RESULTS: Median age of patients was 46 years. About 7.1% had no fibrosis,whereas 30.4%,37.5%,20.4%,and 4.6% had fibrosis of stage Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,and Ⅳ respectively. In bivariate analysis,APRI score,levels of AST,platelet count and age of patient showed statistically significant association with liver fibrosis(P 0.0001); whereas antischistosomal antibody titer(P = 0.52) and HCV RNA titer(P = 0.79) failed to show a significant association. The respective AUC values for no fibrosis,significant fibrosis,severe fibrosis and cirrhosis of APRI score were 63%,73.2%,81.1% and 88.9% respectively. This showed good sensitivity and specificity of APRI alone for grading of liver fibrosis. But the inclusion of anti-Schistosoma antibody did not improve the prediction of fibrosis stage. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that noninvasive biochemical markers like APRI are sensitive and specific in diagnosing the degree of fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with coinfection of HCV and schistosomiasis as compared to biopsy. The addition of antischistosomal Ab to APRI did not improve sensitivity for predicting the degree of cirrhosis.     

Transient elastography for patients with chronic hepatitis B and C virus infection: Non-invasive, quantitative assessment of liver fibrosis

Aim/Methods: The aim of the present study was to compare the diagnostic performance of transient elastography (FibroScan) with that of serum fibrosis markers and stages of hepatic fibrosis by biopsy in 68 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and in 161 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Results: The serum levels of hyaluronic acid (r = 0.601) and type IV collagen (r = 0.663) significantly positively associated with the FibroScan values (all P < 0.05). Classified by fibrosis stages, the median values of FibroScan were 3.5 kPa for F0, 6.4 kPa for F1, 9.5 kPa for F2, 11.4 kPa for F3, and 15.4 kPa forF4 in patients with chronic HBV infection, and were 6.3 kPa for F0, 6.7 kPa for F1, 9.1 kPa for F2, 13.7 kPa for F3, and 26.4 kPa for F4 in those with chronic HCV infection. The values were significantly correlated with fibrosis stage for both (HBV, r = 0.559, P = 0.0093, and HCV, r = 0.686, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: These results suggest that FibroScan is an efficient and simple method for evaluating liver fibrosis in patients with chronic infection, both for HBV and HCV.     

两种超声弹性成像技术诊断慢性乙型肝炎患者肝纤维化价值比较*

目的 探讨瞬时弹性成像和二维剪切波弹性成像用于CHB患者肝纤维化诊断的临床价值。方法 2016年3月～2018年12月我院收治的CHB患者164例,均行瞬时弹性成像和二维剪切波弹性成像检查及肝穿刺活检,采用受试者工作特性(ROC)曲线下面积比较两种超声弹性成像检查诊断不同肝纤维化分期的效能。结果 经肝穿刺活检,在164例CHB患者中,诊断肝组织S₁期50例,S₂期42例,S₃期39例,S₄期33例;瞬时弹性成像检查S₁～S₄期肝纤维化分期的弹性值分别为(6.5±1.1)kPa、(8.6±1.4)kPa、(11.7±1.8)kPa和(16.3±1.8)kPa,二维剪切波弹性成像检查弹性值分别为(5.9±0.8) kPa、(8.1±1.2)kPa、(10.9±1.5)kPa和(16.7±1.9) kPa,两种超声弹性成像检查不同肝纤维化分期弹性值差异无统计学意义(P >0.05);二维剪切波弹性成像检查诊断肝纤维化S₂、S₃和S₄期的ROC曲线下面积(AUC)分别为0.971、0.979和0.973,显著高于瞬时弹性成像检查的0.902、0.906和0.904(P <0.05),其诊断的敏感性分别为90.3%、90.6%和100.0%,特异性分别为95.8%、90.6%和84.5%,而瞬时弹性成像检查诊断则分别为78. 5%、81.3%和73.1%,和93.3%、87.9%和91.0%。结论 二维剪切波弹性成像和瞬时弹性成像检查均可用于慢性乙型肝炎患者的肝纤维化诊断,其临床价值均需要进一步探讨。     

Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B

The goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive picture of the role, clinical applications and future perspectives of the most widely used non-invasive techniques for the evaluation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. During the past decade many non-invasive methods have been developed to reduce the need for liver biopsy in staging fibrosis and to overcome whenever possible its limitations, mainly: invasiveness, costs, low reproducibility, poor acceptance by patients. Elastographic techniques conceived to assess liver stiffness, in particular transient elastography, and the most commonly used biological markers will be assessed against their respective role and limitations in staging hepatic fibrosis. Recent evidence highlights that both liver stiffness and some bio-chemical markers correlate with survival and major clinical end-points such as liver decompensation, development of hepatocellular carcinoma and portal hypertension. Thus the non-invasive techniques here discussed can play a major role in the management of patients with chronic HBV-related hepatitis. Given their prognostic value, transient elastography and some bio-chemical markers can be used to better categorize patients with advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis and assign them to different classes of risk for clinically relevant outcomes. Very recent data indicates that the combined measurements of liver and spleen stiffness enable the reliable prediction of portal hypertension and esophageal varices development.