Liver fibrosis
Patients can be at risk of death even without exhibiting symptoms
The liver is the largest gland in the human body and, weighing roughly two kilograms, it is the second largest organ after the skin. Its varied functions include supplying the brain with glucose, filtering toxins out of the blood, producing proteins, and much more. This means that a well-functioning liver is of vital importance. Yet diseases of the liver are among the top five causes of death among the middle-aged in many industrialized countries today. Liver cirrhosis and liver tumors are even among the ten most frequent causes of death worldwide.[1]
Liver fibrosis – how does the disease progress and who does it afflict?
How does fibrosis develop?
Why is fibrosis so dangerous?
Diagnosis – what examination methods are available?
Diagnosis by surgical intervention: biopsy
An established diagnostic method: examination by ultrasound
A noninvasive test method: diagnosis by blood sampling
The treatment objective is to maintain the status quo
Is there hope for the future?
[1] www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death
[2] https://www.hepatitisandmore.de/hepatitis_b/
[3] Schweikert-Wehner, Peter M., Deutsches Ärzteblatt 2018; 115(41): [18]; DOI: 10.3238/PersDia.2018.10.12.04
[4] Sanyal AJ, et al., Hepatology 2019;https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30993748/hep 30664. epub 2019.
[5] https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/labm/38/2/article-p75.xml?language=en
[6] www.klinikum.uni-muenchen.de/Transplantationszentrum/de/patienten/lebertransplantation/erfolgsaussichten/index.html; 16.11.2020)
[7] https://www.deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de/news/artikel/2011/03/14/mit-viren-gegen-leberkrankheiten
The Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF™) kit is not available for sale in the U.S. Product availability may vary from country to country and is subject to varying regulatory requirements.I
In the U.S., the ELF Testing Service is available from Siemens Healthcare Laboratory, LLC (SHL), a CLIA-certified laboratory located in Berkeley, Calif. The ELF Testing Service, including the establishment of performance characteristics, was developed by SHL. The ELF Test has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. SHL is regulated under CLIA as qualified to perform high complexity testing. The ELF Test is used for clinical purposes and should not be regarded as investigational use only or research use only.
The statements by Siemens Healthineers custThe statements by Siemens Healthineers customers described herein are based on results that were achieved in the customer’s unique setting. Since there is no “typical” hospital and many variables exist (e.g., hospital size, case mix, level of IT adoption) there can be no guarantee that other customers will achieve the same results.omers described herein are based on results that were achieved in the customer’s unique setting. Since there is no “typical” hospital and many variables exist (e.g., hospital size, case mix, level of IT adoption) there can be no guarantee that other customers will achieve the same results.