The nonalcoholic steatohepatitis extended hepatocyte ballooning score: histologic classification and clinical significance
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The NAFLD activity score was developed to measure histologic changes in NAFLD during therapeutic trials. Hepatocyte ballooning (HB) is the most specific feature in steatohepatitis diagnosis, yet the impact of variations in HB has not been incorporated. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Liver biopsies from patients enrolled in the NASH Clinical Research Network with an initial diagnosis of NASH or NAFL (n=1688) were evaluated to distinguish classic hepatocyte ballooning (cHB) from smaller, nonclassic hepatocyte ballooning (nHB), and also to designate severe ballooning and assign an extended hepatocyte ballooning (eB) score [0 points, no ballooning (NB); 1 point, few or many nHB; 2 points, few cHB; 3 points, many cHB; 4 points, severe cHB] to the biopsy assessment. The eB score was reproducible among NASH CRN liver pathologists (weighted kappa 0.76) and was significantly associated with older age (mean 52.1 y, cHB; 48.5 y, nHB, p<0.001), gender (72.3% female, cHB; 54.5% female, nHB, p<0.001), diabetes (49.8% diabetes, cHB; 28.2% diabetes, nHB, p<0.001), metabolic syndrome (68.5% metabolic syndrome, nHB; 50.2% metabolic syndrome, NB, p<0.001), and body mass index [33.2, 34.2, 35 mean body mass index (kg/m2); NB, nHB, and cHB, respectively, p<0.05]. Finally, fibrosis stage, as a marker of disease severity, was significantly correlated with the eB score (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The eB score allows for a reproducible and more precise delineation of the range of ballooned hepatocyte morphology and corresponds with both clinical features of NASH and fibrosis stage.
Source: Hepatology Communications
Institutions: University of California, San Francisco, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, Sharp Memorial Hospital, Indiana University Indianapolis, Duke Medical Center, Saint Louis University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Washington, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,700
Awards: Continuation of the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network, San Diego Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Institute of Translational Health Sciences, Duke CTSA, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute (UL1), Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Cleveland, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN), Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN), Data Coordinating Center for the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN) Continuation, Clinical Research Network in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, Collaborative Clinical Research in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, Continuation of the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN) Clinical Center-Cleveland site, Clinical Research on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, The Saint Louis University Component of the NASH Clinical Research Network, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN)
OpenAlex ID: W4318754423