Transient elastography (TE) is not useful for assessing the prognosis of HIV-infected patients with decompensated hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis, a recent study suggests. Researchers analyzed 65 HIV-HCV-coinfected patients with decompressed cirrhosis (DC) who underwent TE as pair of their routine follow-up between 2006 and 2015. They also calculated the liver stiffness spleen diameter-to-platelet score (LSPS), FIB-4 index, albumin, MELD score, and Child-Pugh score. The primary outcome was death. Among the findings:

• After a median follow-up of 32 months after the first TE, 17 patients had received anti-HCV therapy and 31 patients had died.
• Albumin concentration and Child-Pugh scores were the most consistent predictors of death in the study group.
• In the univariate Cox regression analysis, albumin, FIB-4, Child-Pugh score, and MELD score, but not TE, were associated with death.