Prevalence of significant hepatic fibrosis using magnetic resonance elastography in a health check-up clinic population.

Background: Significant hepatic fibrosis is associated with higher mortality. However, data on the estimated prevalence of liver fibrosis in the general population are scarce.

Aim: To use magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) to investigate the prevalence of hepatic fibrosis in a Korean health check-up clinic cohort.

Methods: We enrolled 2170 participants at our health check-up clinic between January 2015 and May 2018, all of whom had MR with chemical shift technique and MRE. The primary objective was to estimate the prevalence of liver fibrosis. For generalisation, sex- and age-standardised prevalence was calculated based on the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS) during the period 2015-2018.

Results: The prevalence of F2 (≥3.0 kPa) and F3 (≥3.6 kPa) in the overall cohort was 5.1% and 1.3% respectively (sex- and age-adjusted prevalence of 3.8% and 1.3%). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) prevalence (>5% fat fraction) was 27.7% in the average risk population (after excluding alcohol use and viral hepatitis), and the prevalence of significant and advanced fibrosis in NAFLD participants was 8.0% and 1.5% respectively. In participants with diabetes, 12.5% had ≥F2 and 4.3% ≥F3. In participants with NAFLD plus diabetes, 24.1% had ≥F2 and 6.0% ≥F3. On multivariate analysis, only age, insulin, diabetes and fatty liver on MR were independently associated with significant fibrosis.

Conclusions: In a Korean health check-up clinic setting, the prevalence of significant and advanced liver fibrosis was 5.1% and 1.3% (sex- and age-adjusted prevalence of 3.8% and 1.3%). The prevalence of advanced liver fibrosis was five times higher for diabetic participants with NAFLD.