Blood test may spare unneeded liver biopsies for fatty liver patients
NCT ID NCT05370053
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether giving doctors the results of a blood test called ELF helps them better diagnose advanced liver scarring (fibrosis) in people with fatty liver disease. About 450 patients were randomly assigned to have the ELF test or not during their liver clinic visit. The goal was to see if the test leads to more accurate diagnoses and fewer unnecessary liver biopsies.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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450 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2020
- Finished
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Dec 2022
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients from hepatology clinic undergoing new evaluation for NAFLD. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with liver biopsy within the last five years or decompensated cirrhosis were excluded. Patients known to have other liver diseases were also excluded. Patients consuming \> 14 drinks in the past 6 months were excluded. Patients may be subsequently found to have positive viral or autoimmune serologies after enrollment because the serology result is typically not available at the time of enrollment. These patients will be excluded from the analysis.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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