Saleh HT, Musa Y, Aminu AS, Abdullahi HZ, Samaila AA, Borodo MM. Splenic elastography in cirrhosis: A practical, non-invasive portal hypertension assessment from a Nigerian tertiary center. World J Hepatol 2026; 18(3): 114768 [DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v18.i3.114768]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Yusuf Musa, MD, Chief Physician, Consultant, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina, Murtala Muhammad Way, Opposite Jibia Road, Katsina 820101, Nigeria. yusuf.musa@npmcn.edu.ng
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Observational Study
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Mar 27, 2026 (publication date) through Mar 26, 2026
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World Journal of Hepatology
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1948-5182
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Saleh HT, Musa Y, Aminu AS, Abdullahi HZ, Samaila AA, Borodo MM. Splenic elastography in cirrhosis: A practical, non-invasive portal hypertension assessment from a Nigerian tertiary center. World J Hepatol 2026; 18(3): 114768 [DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v18.i3.114768]
World J Hepatol. Mar 27, 2026; 18(3): 114768 Published online Mar 27, 2026. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v18.i3.114768
Splenic elastography in cirrhosis: A practical, non-invasive portal hypertension assessment from a Nigerian tertiary center
Habibu Tijjani Saleh, Yusuf Musa, Abubakar Sadiq Aminu, Hafizu Zubairu Abdullahi, Adamu Alhaji Samaila, Musa Muhammad Borodo
Habibu Tijjani Saleh, Yusuf Musa, Abubakar Sadiq Aminu, Hafizu Zubairu Abdullahi, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina, Katsina 820101, Nigeria
Adamu Alhaji Samaila, Musa Muhammad Borodo, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano 700101, Nigeria
Musa Muhammad Borodo, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Bayero University Kano, Kano 700101, Nigeria
Author contributions: Saleh HT and Musa Y contributed to manuscript concept and manuscript draft; Saleh HT, Musa Y, Aminu AS, Abdullahi HZ, Samaila AA, and Borodo MM contributed in drafting, review, editing the manuscript and served as guarantors. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: Ethical approval was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee of Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina (approval No. FTHKTNHREC.REG.24/06/22C/051). The study adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (2013 revision).
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: All the data from the research is presented in the results; no more data to share.
Corresponding author: Yusuf Musa, MD, Chief Physician, Consultant, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina, Murtala Muhammad Way, Opposite Jibia Road, Katsina 820101, Nigeria. yusuf.musa@npmcn.edu.ng
Received: September 28, 2025 Revised: November 5, 2025 Accepted: January 13, 2026 Published online: March 27, 2026 Processing time: 179 Days and 23.8 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Splenic stiffness measurement (SSM) via transient elastography is an emerging, non-invasive method for assessing portal hypertension and liver disease severity in cirrhosis. Its role is particularly relevant in low-resource settings where access to endoscopic services is limited.
AIM
To assess splenic stiffness patterns among cirrhotic patients using transient elastography and determine their relationship with liver disease severity.
METHODS
In a comparative cross-sectional study at a tertiary hospital in Katsina, Nigeria, 60 patients with clinically diagnosed liver cirrhosis and 60 age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent SSM using transient elastography. Liver disease severity was classified using the Child-Pugh score. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman’s correlation tests.
RESULTS
Median SSM was significantly higher in cirrhotic patients compared with controls (56.8 kPa vs 17.9 kPa; P < 0.001). SSM increased progressively with worsening Child-Pugh class (A: 28.4 kPa; B: 56.7 kPa; C: 90.6 kPa; P < 0.001). SSM correlated positively with total bilirubin (r = 0.384; P = 0.002) and international normalized ratio (r = 0.441; P < 0.001), and negatively with serum albumin (r = -0.468; P < 0.001) and platelet count (r = -0.533; P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
SSM correlates with liver disease severity and offers a practical, non-invasive alternative for assessing portal hypertension, potentially reducing reliance on endoscopy in resource-limited settings.
Core Tip: Splenic stiffness measurement (SSM) by transient elastography is a promising, non-invasive proxy for portal hypertension in cirrhosis, especially where endoscopy access is limited. In this North-Western Nigerian cohort, SSM was significantly higher in cirrhotic patients and rose with advancing Child-Pugh class. Strong correlations emerged between SSM and indicators of liver dysfunction (bilirubin, international normalized ratio, albumin, platelets), supporting its utility as an objective severity marker. Implementing SSM could streamline risk stratification, monitor disease progression, and alleviate the burden on scarce endoscopic services in low-resource settings, offering a scalable tool for improving clinical decision-making.
