Beta-blockers in patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites.

摘要

We previously demonstrated the value of serum markers of matrix remodeling in differentiating patients with CFLD (particularly with early fibrosis) from both CF children without liver disease and age-matched controls.2 Others have compared transient elas-tography with standard clinical assessments, including ultrasound examinations, in children and adults with CF. However, as we demonstrated in our recent article, standard clinical assessments are not reliable for the detection of liver fibrosis in an individual, especially before the evolution of established cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension. The utility of these modalities can be determined only through the comparison of noninvasive assessments of fibrosis with liver biopsy and, more importantly, with long-term hard end-points such as portal hypertension and transplantation.