Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 21, 2025; 31(11): 103178
Published online Mar 21, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i11.103178
Table 1 Characteristics of study population comparing non-Fontan-associated liver disease with Fontan-associated liver disease, mean ± SD/n (%)
General and cardiologic characteristics
Total (n = 91)
Non-FALD (n = 10)
FALD (n = 81)
P value
Male55 (60.4)6 (60.0)49 (60.5)NS
Age, years33.3 ± 8.231.8 ± 9.733.4 ± 8.0NS
Age, years, median (IQR)32.0 (27.0-38.0)30.0 (22.0-37.0)32.0 (28.0-38.0)
BMI, kg/m2, median (IQR)23.1 (20.4-25.8)25.7 (24.3-26.3)22.7 (20.3-25.0)0.048
Time since Fontan, years24.3 ± 7.719.3 ± 11.124.8 ± 7.10.074
Time since Fontan, years, median (IQR)23.0 (19.0-28.0)19.0 (9.0-23.0)23.0 (19.5-28.0)
Type of congenital heart diseaseNS
Pulmonary atresia or stenosis50 (54.9)7 (70.0)43 (53.1)
Tricuspid atresia39 (42.9)6 (60.0)33 (40.7)
Transposition of great arteries34 (37.4)5 (50.0)29 (35.0)
Doble outlet right ventricle15 (16.5)0 (0.0)15 (18.5)
Doble inlet left ventricle13 (14.3)0 (0.0)13 (16.0)
Left heart/ventricle hypoplasia10 (11.0)0 (0.0)10 (12.4)
Right heart/ventricle hypoplasia12 (13.2)1 (10.0)11 (13.6)
Mitral atresia8 (8.8)0 (0.0)8 (9.9)
Type of surgery0.077
Atriopulmonary19 (21.1)0 (0.0)19 (23.5)
Bicavopulmonary
Intra-atrial lateral conduit8 (8.9)2 (22.2)6 (7.4)
Extracardiac conduit63 (70.0)7 (77.8)56 (69.1)
Fontan conduit stenosis35 (38.9)0 (0.0)35 (43.8)0.006
Oxygen saturation, %, median (IQR)93.0 (91.0-95.0)94.5 (93.0-96.0)93.0 (91.0-95.0)NS
Laboratory investigations and serological/clinical scores
Hemoglobin, g/dL, median (IQR)16.5 (14.8-17.6)16.6 (15.4-17.1)16.5 (14.5-17.6)NS
Platelet count, × 103/L, median (IQR)135.0 (115.0-182.0)188.5 (162.0-209.0)131.0 (111.0-169.0)0.002
Prothrombin, %, median (IQR)74.0 (50.0-83.0)83.0 (32.0-88.0)74.0 (55.0-82.0)NS
INR, median (IQR)1.1 (1.1-1.4)1.1 (1.1-1.4)1.1 (1,1-1.4)NS
AST, UI/L, median (IQR)28.0 (24.0-35.0)29.0 (22.0-31.0)28.0 (24.0-36.0)NS
ALT, UI/L, median (IQR)33.0 (24.0-43.0)35.5 (24.0-42.0)32.0 (24.0-44.0)NS
ALP, UI/L, median (IQR)82.0 (66.5-105.5)82.0 (70.0-89.0)81.5 (66.0-108.0)NS
GGT, UI/L, median (IQR)78.0 (56.0-121.0)66.0 (44.0-110.0)79.0 (56.0-121.0)NS
Total bilirubin, mg/dL, median (IQR)1.3 (0.9-2.1)1.2 (0.8-1.9)1.3 (0.9-2.1)NS
Direct bilirubin, mg/dL, median (IQR)0.7 (0.6-1.0)0.5 (0.3-1.0)0.7 (0.6-1.0)NS
Creatinine, mg/dL, median (IQR)0.8 (0.7-0.9)0.9 (0.7-1.0)0.8 (0.7-0.9)NS
Sodium, mEq/L, median (IQR)140.0 (138.9-141.0)139.0 (139.0-140.0)140.0 (138.0-141.0)NS
Albumin, g/dL, median (IQR)4.6 (4.4-4.9)4.7 (4.5-4.8)4.6 (4.3-4.9)NS
Total cholesterol, mg/dL, median (IQR)140.0 (121.0-162.0)142.5 (138.0-163.0)139.0 (118.0-162.0)NS
AFP, ng/mL, median (IQR)2.4 (1.5-4.2)2.5 (2.4-3.1)2.4 (1.5-4.2)NS
NT-proBNP, pg/mL, median (IQR)217.0 (100.0-579.0)178.5 (60.5-455.5)234.0 (107.0-587.0)NS
APRI, median (IQR)0.5 (0.4-0.7)0.4 (0.2-0.6)0.5 (0.4-0.7)0.030
FIB-4, median (IQR)1.1 (0.9-1.6)0.8 (0.6-1.0)1.2 (0.9-1.8)0.017
Forns index, median (IQR)5.7 (4.9-6.8)4.5 (3.5-5.2)5.8 (5.0-6.9)0.005
MELD, median (IQR)9 (7-11)8 (7-10)9 (7-11)NS
MELD-Na, median (IQR)10 (7-11)8 (7-10)10 (7-11)NS
MELD-XI, median (IQR)11 (9-13)10 (9-13)11 (9-13)NS
Child-PughNS
A (5-6)84 (92.3)10 (100.0)74 (91.4)
B (7-9)7 (7.7)0 (0.0)7 (8.6)
VAST ≥ 242 (75.0)0 (0.0)42 (77.8)< 0.001
Ultrasonography and transient elastography
Heterogenous liver echogenicity61 (67.8)0 (0.0)61 (76.3)< 0.001
Nodular liver surface55 (61.8)0 (0.0)55 (69.6)< 0.001
Hepatomegaly35 (39.3)0 (0.0)35 (44.3)0.005
Abnormal caudate49 (55.7)0 (0.0)49 (62.8)< 0.001
Liver nodules38 (42.2)4 (40.0)34 (42.5)NS
Portal vein dilation7 (8.9)0 (0.0)7 (9.0)NS
Splenomegaly46 (50.5)0 (0.0)46 (58.8)< 0.001
Collateral circulation17 (18.9)0 (0.0)17 (21.3)NS
Portosystemic shunts6 (6.7)0 (0.0)6 (7.6)NS
Ascites, gradeNS
075 (83.3)10 (100.0)65 (81.3)
110 (11.1)0 (0.0)10 (12.5)
25 (5.6)0 (0.0)5 (6.3)
Liver stiffness, kPa, median (IQR)25.3 (20.3-33.0)14.6 (11.4-18.5)27.7 (21.9-34.3)< 0.001

  • Citation: Cuadros M, Abadía M, Castillo P, Martín-Arranz MD, Gonzalo N, Romero M, García-Sánchez A, García-Samaniego J, Olveira A, Ruiz-Cantador J, González-Fernández Ó, Ponz I, Merás P, Merino C, Rodríguez-Chaverri A, Balbacid E, Froilán C. Role of transient elastography in the diagnosis and prognosis of Fontan-associated liver disease. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(11): 103178
  • URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v31/i11/103178.htm
  • DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v31.i11.103178