• Qiu-Long Shen, Ya-Jun Chen, Zeng-Meng Wang, Ting-Chong Zhang, Wen-Bo Pang, Jun Shu, and Chun-Hui Peng.
• Qiu-Long Shen, Ya-Jun Chen, Zeng-Meng Wang, Ting-Chong Zhang, Wen-Bo Pang, Jun Shu, Chun-Hui Peng, Department of Pediatric General Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100045, China.
• World J. Gastroenterol. 2015 Jun 14; 21 (22): 6931-6.

AimTo evaluate liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using non-invasive transient elastography (Fibroscan) in comparison with liver biopsy for assessment of liver fibrosis in children with biliary atresia (BA).MethodsThirty-one children with BA admitted to the Department of Pediatric Surgery of Beijing Children's Hospital from March 2012 to February 2013 were included in this study. Their preoperative LSM, liver biopsy findings, and laboratory results were studied retrospectively.ResultsThe grade of liver fibrosis in all 31 patients was evaluated according to the METAVIR scoring system, which showed that 4 cases were in group F2, 20 in group F3 and 7 in group F4. There were 24 non-cirrhosis cases (F2-F3) and 7 cirrhosis cases (F4). In groups F2, F3 and F4, the mean LSM was 9.10 ± 3.30 kPa, 11.02 ± 3.31 kPa and 22.86 ± 12.43 kPa, respectively. LSM was statistically different between groups F2 and F4 (P = 0.002), and between groups F3 and F4 (P = 0.000), however, there was no statistical difference between groups F2 and F3 (P = 0.593). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of LSM for ≥ F4 was 0.866. The cut-off value of LSM was 15.15 kPa for ≥ F4, with a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 0.857, 0.917, 0.750 and 0.957, respectively.ConclusionFibroscan can be used as a non-invasive technique to assess liver fibrosis in children with BA. The cut-off value of LSM (15.15 kPa) can distinguish cirrhotic patients from non-cirrhotic patients.

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