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Publication Information

PubMed ID
Public Release Type
Journal
Publication Year
2022
Affiliation
1Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK 2NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK 3Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7LE, UK 4Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
Authors
Aveyard P, Cobbold JF, Heath L, Koutoukidis DA, Tomlinson JW
Studies

Abstract

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a prevalent chronic disease that is associated with a spectrum of liver fibrosis and can lead to cirrhosis. Patients with NASH report lower health-related (HRQoL) quality of life than the general population. It remains uncertain how changes in histological severity are associated with changes in HRQoL. This is a secondary analysis of the FLINT and PIVENS randomised controlled trials in patients with biopsy-proven NASH. HRQoL was assessed using the SF-36 at baseline and at follow-up biopsy (at 72 and 96 weeks, respectively). Adjusted linear regression models were used to examine the association between changes in liver fibrosis (primary analysis), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score (secondary analysis) and changes in HRQoL scores. Compared with stable fibrosis, improvement of fibrosis by at least one stage was significantly associated with improvements only in the physical function component by 1.8 points (95% CI: 0.1, 3.5). Worsening of fibrosis by at least one stage was not associated with statistically significant changes in any HRQoL domain compared with stable fibrosis. Associations between HRQoL and NAFLD disease activity score in the secondary analysis were of similar magnitude. Weight loss was associated with small improvements in physical function, general health, and energy levels. Conclusion: Improvements in fibrosis stage were associated with improvements in the physical component of HRQoL, but the clinical impact was modest. As improving fibrosis may not meaningfully improve wellbeing, treatment for NASH will be cost-effective only if it prevents long-term hepatic and cardiovascular disease.