Dynamic changes in liver stiffness during the course of acute hepatitis A

AbstractObjective. Several recent studies have suggested that hepatic necroinflammation can alter the results of liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) obtained using the FibroScan device. However, the precise relationship between acute hepatic inflammation and LSMs remains unclear. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the dynamic changes in LSMs during the course of acute hepatic inflammation. Material and methods. Thirty-one patients with acute hepatitis A (AHA) were enrolled in this study (mean ± SD age 29 ± 7 years; 32.3% male). Only AHA patients who visited our hospital before their alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels peaked were included. The day when AHA-associated symptoms began was considered as Day 0. Serum levels of ALT and bilirubin (BIL), and the international normalized ratio (INR) were measured every 2 days, as were LSMs, until the peak levels of all parameters were identified. Subsequently, these parameters were measured every 1–2 weeks until they had normalized. Results. Peak se...