An observational study in MASLD, sponsored by Azienda Ospedaliera Specializzata in Gastroenterologia Saverio de Bellis. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-23.
Sponsored by Azienda Ospedaliera Specializzata in Gastroenterologia Saverio de Bellis · Observational
This single-center, prospective observational study aims to assess the accuracy of FIB-4 cut-offs in identifying liver fibrosis in obese patients attending an endocrinology outpatient clinic in Italy.
All consecutive eligible patients undergo routine blood tests and liver elastography (FibroScan) as part of clinical practice; FIB-4 values will be calculated and compared with liver stiffness measurements to evaluate the performance of FIB-4 thresholds for directing patients to FibroScan and hepatology care.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a frequent complication of metabolic syndrome and obesity and may progress to advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Recent EASL-EASD-EASO guidelines recommend the use of the FIB-4 score as a first-line non-invasive tool to stratify the risk of advanced fibrosis in patients with metabolic risk factors, including those with obesity.
However, current FIB-4 cut-offs may lead to a high number of positive cases and an important burden of further liver stiffness assessment.
This study will prospectively enroll obese patients referred to the Clinical Nutrition Center for the Research and Care of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases at IRCCS "Saverio de Bellis".
During a Day Service access, patients undergo routine blood tests and FibroScan; FIB-4 is calculated using age, AST, ALT and platelet count.
Patients will be classified according to FIB-4 (≥1.3 vs \<1.3), and FIB-4 performance in predicting liver fibrosis, as assessed by liver stiffness, will be evaluated using correlation analyses, Bland-Altman plots, agreement measures and ROC curves.
Azienda Ospedaliera Specializzata in Gastroenterologia Saverio de Bellis is the lead sponsor of 55 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Consecutive adult obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 and ≤ 40 kg/m²), aged 18-64 years, attending the outpatient Clinical Nutrition Center for the Research and Care of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases at IRCCS "Saverio de Bellis" (Castellana Grotte, Italy). Patients are enrolled during a Day Service access in which routine blood tests and liver stiffness measurement by FibroScan are performed as part of standard clinical practice. Patients are stratified into two cohorts based on FIB-4 score: Cohort 1 (FIB-4 ≥ 1.3) and Cohort 2 (FIB-4 \< 1.3). Patients with known liver diseases other than MASLD, pregnancy, or current treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists known to affect hepatic steatosis (Semaglutide or Tirzepatide) are excluded
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Autoimmune disease
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Obese patients with FIB-4 ≥ 1.3 undergoing FibroScan as part of clinical practice.
Obese patients with FIB-4 \< 1.3 undergoing FibroScan as part of clinical practice
Accuracy of current FIB-4 cut-offs in directing obese patients to FibroScan for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis
Diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, ROC-AUC) of FIB-4 thresholds (e.g. 1.3) for the prediction of liver fibrosis as defined by liver stiffness measurements obtained by FibroScan.
Time frame: At baseline evaluation (Day Service visit)
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: No
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jun 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Azienda Ospedaliera Specializzata in Gastroenterologia Saverio de Bellis