Assessment of Liver Fibrosis by FibroScan in Rheumatology Patients Treated with Conventional Synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70672/38fqhr08Keywords:
Conventional synthetic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, liver fibrosis, FibroscanAbstract
Background: Conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) are widely used in the management of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Long-term exposure, particularly methotrexate, raises concerns regarding hepatotoxicity and liver fibrosis. Objective: To determine the frequency of liver fibrosis among rheumatology patients treated with csDMARDs using transient elastography (FibroScan). Methods: This retrospective study included rheumatology patients receiving csDMARDs therapy (monotherapy or combination) who had undergone FibroScan assessment. Liver fibrosis was defined as METAVIR stage of F2 or higher. Results: Among 60 patients, liver fibrosis (F2–F4) was detected in 18 (30.0%), while 42 (70.0%) had no or mild fibrosis (F0–F1). Mean age did not differ significantly between groups; however, patients with fibrosis had a younger age at rheumatic disease diagnosis. Triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the fibrosis group. csDMARDs type, combination therapy, and cumulative drug doses did not differ significantly between groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified no independent predictors of liver fibrosis. Conclusion: Liver fibrosis was detected in nearly one-third of rheumatology patients treated with csDMARDs using FibroScan. No significant associations were observed between liver fibrosis and csDMARDs type, combination therapy, or cumulative drug exposure. These findings suggest that liver fibrosis in csDMARD-treated patients may not be solely attributable to conventional clinical or treatment-related factors, underscoring the potential value of non-invasive liver assessment in routine rheumatology practice.
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