NAFLD (NON ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE) FIBROSIS SCORE

NAFLD FIBROSIS SCORE IS THE MOST STUDIED SCORE WHICH HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY VALIDATED IN A LARGE POPULATION OF PATIENTS WITH NON ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD) FOR DETECTING SIGNIFICANT FIBROSIS.. NAFLD IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF ABNORMAL LIVER FUNCTION TESTS IN PRIMARY CARE. IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY, INSULIN RESISTANCE, DIABETES, DYSLIPIDEMIA, HYPERTENSION AND IS CONSIDERED AS HEPATIC MANIFESTATION OF THE METABOLIC SYNDROME. THE PIVOTAL ISSUE IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH NAFLD IS THE DIAGNOSIS OF STEATOHEPATITIS & FIBROSIS AT EARLY STAGE. LIVER BIOPSY (THE GOLD STANDARD FOR DIAGNOSING & ASSESSING FIBROSIS) IS NOT CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE AS FIRST LINE TOOL FOR DIAGNOSING FIBROSIS IN UNSELECTED NAFLD PATIENTS. THIS TEST HAS HIGH NEGATIVE PREDICTIVE VALUE, THUS CAN BE USED AS FIRST LINE TEST TO RULE OUT PATIENTS WITHOUT ADVANCED FIBROSIS THEREBY PREVENTING UNNECESSARY SECONDARY CARE REFERRALS.