Liver fibrosis prediction with an online calculator

Researchers from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research last year identified a genetic predictor — interferon lamba 3 — that could determine whether liver disease patients have a risk of rapid liver scarring (fibrosis). Less than 12 months later, the team has developed an online calculator that can help doctors to quickly and accurately predict liver fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis results from an excessive accumulation of tough, fibrous scar tissue and occurs in chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and fatty liver. Over time this leads to cirrhosis, internal bleeding and cancer, with severe cases requiring extreme treatment such as organ transplantation.

“Right now, doctors can’t accurately tell their patients whether they are at risk of developing rapid liver fibrosis which will require specialised treatment, or if they are in a low-risk category and a change in their lifestyle could help to improve their liver health,” noted Professor Jacob George from the Westmead Institute.

The new online calculator, FibroGENE, will change all this by using statistical analysis to determine likely fibrosis progression in patients suffering from liver disease. By combining results from a genetic test with simple clinical variables including age, platelet count and liver enzyme markers, doctors are provided with a detailed prognosis that they can use to ensure their patients receive appropriate and personalised treatment.

The app is based on a prediction model called FibroGENE-DT, which was shown to work in a study published in the Journal of Hepatology. Dr Mohammed Eslam, the first author on the paper, said the app is an easy-to-use tool that can be used in any basic clinic setting.

“Doctors will be able to use this tool with confidence — it has been systematically and externally validated in a large clinical cohort,” Dr Eslam said. “We compared this test with four other serum biomarkers and found it to be superior. Also, because this test can be applied to all liver diseases, it cuts down on the amount of testing required.”

To try the FibroGENE online calculator for yourself, visit www.fibrogene.com.