Abstract

Objective:
This study aimed to assess the correlation between liver iron concentration (LIC) and multiple scoring systems, including fibrosis 4 (FIB-4) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores, in hereditary and acquired hemochromatosis patients at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on 267 patients with recorded LIC. Patients without LIC or necessary scores (FIB-4 and MELD) were excluded. Data on age, gender, body mass index (BMI), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), ferritin, sodium, creatinine, and total bilirubin were analyzed. MELD and FIB-4 scores were calculated using online tools.
Results:
The majority of patients were male (59.9%), aged under 35 years (55.4%), and had acquired hemochromatosis (69.8%). Higher AST, ALT, ALP, and ferritin levels were significantly associated with abnormal LIC (p

Key words: Liver iron concentration, hemochromatosis, fibrosis 4 score, model for end-stage liver disease score, Saudi Arabia