The following is a summary of “Investigating the role of ultrasound-based shear wave elastography in Kidney transplanted patients: correlation between non-invasive fibrosis detection, kidney dysfunction, and biopsy results—a systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the March 2024 issue of Nephrology by Filipov et al.
Interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy are major contributors to renal allograft failure. Shear wave elastography presents a potential noninvasive approach for assessing kidney health, particularly fibrosis, though current literature yields conflicting findings.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to investigate the relationship between shear wave elastography and different measures of kidney dysfunction.
They conducted a systematic review registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021283152) focusing on renal transplant recipients and their relationship with shear wave elastography, fibrosis, and kidney dysfunction and searched extensively through three primary databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL) for relevant articles. Meta-analytical techniques were employed to calculate pooled Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients (r) and 95% CIs. We assessed heterogeneity using Cochran’s Q test and reported the I2 statistic along with its 95% CI to measure between-study variability. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the QUADAS2 tool.
The results showed that in the 16 studies included, a moderate correlation existed between kidney stiffness and interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy, as graded according to BANFF classification, based on pooled Pearson (r = 0.48; CI: 0.20, 0.69; I2 = 84%) and Spearman correlations (r = 0.57; CI: 0.35, 0.72; I2 = 74%). When compared to kidney dysfunction parameters, there was a moderate correlation observed between shear wave elastography and resistive index (r = 0.34 CI: 0.13, 0.51; I2 = 67%), as well as between shear wave elastography and estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) (r = -0.65; CI: − 0.81, − 0.40; I2 = 73%). All outcomes displayed marked heterogeneity.
Investigators concluded that Kidney stiffness measured by elastography showed a moderate correlation with biopsy results, but biopsy remains the gold standard.
Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40620-023-01856-w
