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The degree of fibrosis is the key prognostic indicator in people with liver disease. Previous estimates of the prevalence of liver fibrosis among the general population have been based on imaging studies, mainly those assessing for steatosis. Now, researchers in Barcelona, Spain, have assessed the prevalence of liver fibrosis using noninvasive transient elastography in a general population of 3000 adults without known liver disease.
Based on liver stiffness definitions of ≥6.8 kPa, ≥8 kPa, and ≥9 kPa, the fibrosis prevalence was 9%, 6%, and 4%, respectively. A cut-off value of 9.2 kPa performed the best in predicting significant liver fibrosis (stages 2–4); it had a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 78%, and predictive accuracy of 83% in a …