*2.2. Patient Cohort*

Patients with liver fibrosis caused by chronic alcohol abuse and chronic viral hepatitis were recruited from the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of the University Hospital of Brussels (UZ Brussel), Belgium. The extent of liver fibrosis in these patients was determined based on transient elastography (FibroScan®, Echosens, France). Patients with at least 10 valid stiffness measurements with a success rate of minimum 60% were included in the final analysis. Cut-off values used to discriminate fibrotic stages equal to or more than F2, F3, and F4 were taken at 7.2 kPa, 9.5 kPa, and 12.5 kPa [16], respectively. Patients with liver fibrosis suffering from NAFLD were recruited from the Diabetes Centre of the University Hospital of Brussels (UZ Brussel, Brussels, Belgium) in collaboration with the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (UZ Brussel, Brussels, Belgium). In these patients, the extent of fibrosis was determined by use of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI), using cut-off values of 1.25 m/s, 1.54 m/s, and 1.84 m/s to identify a fibrotic stage equal to, or more than F2, F3, and F4, respectively. All NAFLD-patients had Diabetes Mellitus type 2. The protocol of this study was approved by the local ethical committee of the UZ Brussel and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (reference number 2015/297; B.U.N. 143201525482) and was in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. An informed consent was obtained from all participants, prior to inclusion in the study.
