Dynamics of Splenic Transient Elastography in Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder

Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2024 Nov 1;15(11):e00770. doi: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000000770.

Abstract

Introduction: Splenic stiffness (SS) measurement (SSM) is an evolving noninvasive assessment to evaluate portal hypertension. Studies with respect to SSM in patients with alcohol use disorder are limited.

Methods: We studied patients seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder in an inpatient treatment protocol at the National Institutes of Health and parsed SSM into 3 groups based on degree of change.

Results: The improved SS group had statistically higher initial SSM and a nonstatistically increased liver stiffness measurement compared with others.

Discussion: SS is dynamic in a subset of patients immediately after alcohol cessation, and improved SS is associated with a normalization of platelet count.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alcoholism* / complications
  • Elasticity Imaging Techniques* / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Portal* / diagnosis
  • Hypertension, Portal* / diagnostic imaging
  • Hypertension, Portal* / etiology
  • Liver / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Platelet Count
  • Spleen* / diagnostic imaging
  • Spleen* / pathology