Biomarkers for NAFLD in HIV Patients Identified

Several biomarkers obtained through non-invasive means could help to predict the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients living with HIV (PWH), according to recent research.

The researchers conducted a prospective cohort study involving 146 patients on stable antiretroviral therapy regimens and without known liver disease. All participants underwent whole blood lab tests, abdominal ultrasound, transient elastography (including CAP) and steatosis and fibrosis non-invasive markers (TyG, HSI, FLI, FIB-4 and APRI). Of the participants, 69 consented to a liver biopsy.

Overall, “two non-invasive-combination models of tests with TyG and FLI or HSI as first tests and US or CAP as second tests had the best diagnosis performance for liver steatosis, AUROC 0.99 (0.97-1 p<0.001), 0.92 (0.77-1 p<0.001),” the researchers wrote.

“We demonstrated that a combination of TyG with FLI or HSI as first tests and US or CAP as second tests is able to accurately diagnose or exclude the presence of NAFLD, also strongly reducing diagnostic uncertainty area and likelihood of diagnostic errors. This could help avert the need for invasive tests such as liver biopsy,” they concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Busca C, Sanchez-Conde M, Rosas M, et al. A serial combination of steatosis noninvasive markers in HIV-monoinfected subjects. Paper presented at Virtual CROI 2021. March 6-10, 2021. https://www.vcroi2021.org/sessions/19764921/subsession/25642371/A-SERIAL-COMBINATION-OF-STEATOSIS-NONINVASIVE-MARKERS--IN-HIV-MONOINFECTED-SUBJECTS