Lipids & metabolic liver disease
Noninvasive tests to identify liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease are affected by race
Authors' conclusion
In a large, diverse national cohort, the performance of NITs was overall poor compared with transient elastography, and NITs showed differences across racial and ethnic groups. Given the widespread use of NITs, it is imperative that the scores are equitable across racial and ethnic groups.
Study context
- Population
- Adults in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2020 with valid transient elastography measurements, without alternative etiologies of liver steatosis
- Participants
- 6,359 adults
- Exposure
- Performance of noninvasive tests (NITs) across racial and ethnic groups vs transient elastography
- Outcome
- Performance of NITs across racial and ethnic groups
Methodological detailsNHANES 2017–2020, multiethnic cohort
- NHANES 2017–2020
- Multiethnic cohort
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Fatty liver index and NAFLD liver fat score performed well for prediction of MASLD, without significant changes across racial and ethnic groups
- Significant differences across racial and ethnic groups for prediction of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis
- FIB-4, aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) and NAFLD fibrosis score underperformed in non-Hispanic Black patients for detection of cirrhosis
- Advanced fibrosis: performance numerically worse in non-Hispanic Black patients; statistically significant only for APRI
- With a 12 kPa cutoff for advanced fibrosis, APRI and FIB-4 performed significantly worse in non-Hispanic Black patients
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Noninvasive tests to identify liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease are affected by race. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 27 December 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →