Liver fibrosis scores predict mortality in Fontan patients
A retrospective study of 334 adults with Fontan circulation has identified non-invasive liver fibrosis biomarkers as significant predictors of transplant-free survival. The research, published in *Heart*, analyzed scores including FibroSURE, APRI, FIB-4, and MELD-XI. It found that elevated scores were strongly associated with an increased hazard of death or transplant, with a FibroSURE score above 0.74 linked to a more than threefold increase in risk. The findings suggest these readily available biomarkers could enhance risk stratification for this high-risk patient population.
Why it might matter to you: For cardiologists managing adults with congenital heart disease, this research provides a practical tool for prognostic assessment. Incorporating these liver fibrosis scores into routine surveillance could help identify Fontan patients at the highest risk for clinical deterioration, allowing for earlier intervention and more personalized management strategies. This moves beyond cardiac-focused monitoring to a more holistic view of Fontan-associated liver disease and its systemic consequences.
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