Noninvasive Assessment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Overweight and Obesity by Transient Elastography

Introduction: Childhood obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are emerging as significant health concerns. While liver biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis, there is a pressing need for a noninvasive alternative to identify early fibrosis. Methods: A cross-sectional investig...

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Main Authors: Mohamed Fajrudheen, Samarendra Mahapatro, Manas K. Panigrahi, Suprava Naik, Amit K. Satapathy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-03-01
Series:Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijem.ijem_150_24
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author Mohamed Fajrudheen
Samarendra Mahapatro
Manas K. Panigrahi
Suprava Naik
Amit K. Satapathy
author_facet Mohamed Fajrudheen
Samarendra Mahapatro
Manas K. Panigrahi
Suprava Naik
Amit K. Satapathy
author_sort Mohamed Fajrudheen
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Childhood obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are emerging as significant health concerns. While liver biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis, there is a pressing need for a noninvasive alternative to identify early fibrosis. Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was carried out from January 2020 to December 2021 involving overweight and obese children attending the pediatric outpatient department (OPD). The aim is to determine the occurrence of fibrotic and steatotic changes in the liver of overweight and obese children using transient elastography (TE) and to establish correlations between TE results, Pediatric NAFLD Fibrosis Index (PNFI), and other biochemical parameters. TE was utilized to assess both fibrotic and steatosis changes, while ultrasound (USG) was employed to detect steatosis in the liver. Results: Two hundred and fifty-nine eligible children participated in the study. Mean age of the study cohort was 10.8 years, with males constituting 63%. Mean Z score for BMI was 1.71 ± 0.57. Fibrosis was detected in 29.3% of children by TE, while steatosis was observed in 27.7% of children. Steatosis was identified in 23.8% of cases through USG. BMI Z score, ALT (Alanine aminotransferase), AST and PNFI score exhibited significant associations with grades of liver fibrosis and steatosis as determined by TE, as well as with grades of steatosis according to USG findings. Conclusion: A notable prevalence of increased liver stiffness was observed in overweight and obese children. TE proves to be a valuable tool in identifying fibrotic and steatotic changes in these children, complementing existing noninvasive modalities.
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spelling doaj-art-1e6d7897c056429c817c575fe4abbb2b2025-08-20T02:15:59ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism2230-82102230-95002025-03-0129223023610.4103/ijem.ijem_150_24Noninvasive Assessment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Overweight and Obesity by Transient ElastographyMohamed FajrudheenSamarendra MahapatroManas K. PanigrahiSuprava NaikAmit K. SatapathyIntroduction: Childhood obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are emerging as significant health concerns. While liver biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis, there is a pressing need for a noninvasive alternative to identify early fibrosis. Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was carried out from January 2020 to December 2021 involving overweight and obese children attending the pediatric outpatient department (OPD). The aim is to determine the occurrence of fibrotic and steatotic changes in the liver of overweight and obese children using transient elastography (TE) and to establish correlations between TE results, Pediatric NAFLD Fibrosis Index (PNFI), and other biochemical parameters. TE was utilized to assess both fibrotic and steatosis changes, while ultrasound (USG) was employed to detect steatosis in the liver. Results: Two hundred and fifty-nine eligible children participated in the study. Mean age of the study cohort was 10.8 years, with males constituting 63%. Mean Z score for BMI was 1.71 ± 0.57. Fibrosis was detected in 29.3% of children by TE, while steatosis was observed in 27.7% of children. Steatosis was identified in 23.8% of cases through USG. BMI Z score, ALT (Alanine aminotransferase), AST and PNFI score exhibited significant associations with grades of liver fibrosis and steatosis as determined by TE, as well as with grades of steatosis according to USG findings. Conclusion: A notable prevalence of increased liver stiffness was observed in overweight and obese children. TE proves to be a valuable tool in identifying fibrotic and steatotic changes in these children, complementing existing noninvasive modalities.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijem.ijem_150_24fibroscanfibrosisnafldobesitytransient elastography
spellingShingle Mohamed Fajrudheen
Samarendra Mahapatro
Manas K. Panigrahi
Suprava Naik
Amit K. Satapathy
Noninvasive Assessment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Overweight and Obesity by Transient Elastography
Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
fibroscan
fibrosis
nafld
obesity
transient elastography
title Noninvasive Assessment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Overweight and Obesity by Transient Elastography
title_full Noninvasive Assessment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Overweight and Obesity by Transient Elastography
title_fullStr Noninvasive Assessment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Overweight and Obesity by Transient Elastography
title_full_unstemmed Noninvasive Assessment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Overweight and Obesity by Transient Elastography
title_short Noninvasive Assessment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children with Overweight and Obesity by Transient Elastography
title_sort noninvasive assessment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children with overweight and obesity by transient elastography
topic fibroscan
fibrosis
nafld
obesity
transient elastography
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/ijem.ijem_150_24
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