Twelve-month follow-up of liver stiffness by transient elastography in chronic alcohol users: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Methods Transient elastography was performed in chronic alcohol users at entry to this study, and repeated at 6 and 12 months follow up to detect the change in liver stiffness. Other nutritional measures also were taken simultaneously. Results Fifty three patients were included in this study. The mean liver stiffness at entry was 8.4±9.9 kPa (2.4-52.3). Comparison of data between the time of entry and at 6 months follow up found signifi cantly increased liver stiffness when compared with baseline in the non-abstinent group (10.1±12.5 kPa vs 7.7±7.0; p=0.02), but liver stiffness did not change in the abstinent group (8.5±8.5 kPa vs. 8.3±2.6 kPa; p=0.06). Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) also decreased signifi cantly in the abstinent group (87.3±8.4 fL vs. 91.7±10.8 fL; p=0.008). This study found no signifi cant difference in liver stiffness at 12 months follow up when comparing between the baseline in the abstinent and non-abstinent group. Liver stiffness tended to decrease in the abstinent group (10.1±8.9 kPa vs 12.6±18.9 kPa; p=0.5), but increase in the non-abstinent group (12.4±19.9 kPa vs 7.4±7.3 kPa; p = 0.12). No difference of serum albumin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), body weight or triceps skinfold was found when compared with the baseline in the non-abstinent group, but this study found signifi cantly increased serum albumin in the abstinent group (4.6±0.3 g/dL vs. 3.9±0.5 g/dL; p = 0.038), which tended to decrease MCV and increase body weight and triceps skinfold. Comparison of changes between the abstinent and non-abstinent group at 12 months follow up showed that only Δ serum albumin increased with statistical signifi cance (p=0.029). There was no statistically signifi cant difference in change of hemoglobin, white blood cell count, platelet, total bilirubin, triceps skinfold or liver stiffness between the two groups. Conclusion Liver stiffness, nutritional parameters such as body weight and triceps skinfold, and serum albumin had improved in the abstinent group at 12 months follow-up. The improvement of liver stiffness and nutrition could be used as encouraging information for further abstinence. Chiang Mai Medical Journal 2016;55(3):107-13.