Correlation of effective hepatic blood flow with liver pathology in patients with hepatitis B virus

Abstract Background and aims Effective hepatic blood flow (EHBF) decreases with liver disease progression, and identifying liver pathology is critical for patients with liver disease. This study was designed to elucidate the correlation between EHBF and liver pathology and explore the potential of EHBF for predicting the degree of liver pathology. Methods In this study, 207 patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) who underwent liver biopsy and indocyanine green (ICG) clearance tests were enrolled. EHBF was measured using the ICG clearance test, and liver tissue was histologically analyzed to determine the pathological stage according to the Scheuer scoring system. Demographic data, biochemical indexes, and FibroScan data were collected for statistical analysis. Results EHBF levels decreased as the liver histological stages of inflammation and fibrosis increased (P Conclusions EHBF levels and liver pathology are significantly correlated. EHBF could effectively reflect liver inflammation and fibrosis in patients infected with HBV, especially for patients without liver inflammation or liver fibrosis.