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Updated: Sep 5, 2026
Measurement of Liver Stiffness Using Atomic Force Microscopy Coupled with Polarization Microscopy
Published on: July 20, 2022
Clinical utility of a 30% reduction in VCTE-derived liver stiffness measurement for identifying histologic
Rohit Loomba1,2, Ruiqiu Chen3,4,5,6, Youxin Wang3,4,7
1MASLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.
Background And Aims:
The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) recommends that a decline in liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) can be used as a non-invasive endpoint for treatment response in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), but there are limited data supporting this statement. We examined the association between a ≥30% relative decline in LSM and fibrosis regression.
Approach And Results:
This prospective study included 160 adults (64% female) with biopsy-proven MASH and stage 2-3 fibrosis from a randomized, phase 2b, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial of the fibroblast growth factor 21 analog pegozafermin. All participants underwent contemporaneous VCTE assessments and liver biopsy at two time-points. The primary endpoint was fibrosis regression without worsening MASH. The median (IQR) age and body mass index of participants were 56.0 (49.0-62.0) years and 36.5 (32.2-40.4) kg/m². The area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of a ≥30% relative decline in LSM by VCTE for detecting fibrosis regression was 0.68 (95% CI 0.58-0.77). In multivariable analyses adjusted for age, sex, type 2 diabetes, BMI, and ethnicity, a ≥30% relative decline in LSM was independently associated with fibrosis regression (adjusted OR 4.23, 95% CI 1.79-10.38, p=0.001). In a distinct validation cohort (n=48) from U.S. and Singapore, a ≥30% decline in LSM for detecting fibrosis regression yielded an AUC of 0.62 (95% CI 0.48-0.76).
Conclusion:
A ≥30% relative decline in LSM by VCTE had modest accuracy to detect fibrosis regression without worsening MASH. More effective biomarkers for treatment response are required.
