FIB-3 index as a novel fibrosis marker for predicting advanced fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease at health check-ups

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the FIB-3 index to detect severe fibrosis and liver cirrhosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) at health check-ups.

Methods We enrolled 791 patients with NAFLD among 2,704 health check-up cases to evaluate the usefulness of the FIB-3 index and compared it to the FIB-4 index. We also compared the two indices based on shear wave elastography (SWE).

Results Two hundred fifteen patients among 791 NAFLD patients (8.0% of all 2,704 cases) needed further examination with a FIB-4 index ≧1.3. However, only 13 patients among 791 NAFLD patients (0.5% of all 2,704 cases) needed further examination with the FIB-3 index (F3 and F4 cases in FIB-3 index). Based on SWE, the false-positive rate of the FIB-4 index was high and the false-negative rate of the FIB-3 index was high.

Conclusion Using the FIB-3 index to detect severe liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis in patients with NAFLD (high-risk NAFLD) is useful.