Cirrhosis Screening with a Portable Fibroscan Device in a Community Alcohol Support Service: Feasibility Study
Date
2016-06Author
Matthews, Karen
MacGilchrist, Andrew
Smith, Margaret Coulter
Cetnarskyj, Roseanne
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Matthews, K., MacGilchrist, A., Smith, M. & Cetnarskyj, R. (2016) Cirrhosis Screening with a Portable Fibroscan Device in a Community Alcohol Support Service: Feasibility Study, Gut. BMJ.com, vol. 7, , pp. A 291,
Abstract
Alcohol misuse is the major cause of the increase
in deaths from liver disease in the UK,1 particularly in Scotland2
and particularly in areas of social deprivation. Liver disease
usually presents late, with advanced liver disease and
cirrhosis often asymptomatic.3 Patients with alcohol misuse in
areas of social deprivation are a hard to reach- population.
This study assessed the feasibility of using a portable Fibroscan
to measure transient elastography (TE), a non-invasive
method of assessing hepatic fibrosis, as a screening tool within
a community alcohol support service.