An ultrasound-based referential of body height-adjusted normal liver organometry in rural Cameroon
Evaluation of control programs use the crucial ultrasonographic assessment grading system for Schistosoma mansoni morbidity. The assessment requires previous definitions of normal liver organometric ranges in the population in S.mansoni endemic areas.
Kamden and his colleagues used a cross-sectional study in a S.mansoni endemic area in rural Cameroon. 1002 participants were screened with 234 being selected. These 234 participants were free from all common area-specific liver-affecting diseases (schistosomiasis, malaria, hepatitis B and C) and had no ultrasonographic signs of liver disease, their liver parameters were measured by ultrasonography. All statistics were considered significant for p-values < 0.05. Normal dimensions of livers lobe sizes, portal vein wall thickness and portal vein diameters were reported.
The liver organometric data is available for the entire study population as a whole and also separately for males and females as prediction plots, with observed values and fitted regression line with 95% confidence.
This study uses reference ranges for liver parameters (size, portal vein thickness and diameter) adjusted for body height which is novel for Cameroon. The prediction plots generated should improve the accuracy of the assessment of liver morbidity by ultrasonography in the region.
Read the paper - An ultrasound-based referential of body height-adjusted normal liver organometry in school children from Bokito in rural Cameroon
Article by Bonamy Holtak