The interrelation of cardiometabolic risk factors and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease subtypes

Introduction. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis, liver cancer and extrahepatic complications. The number and various combinations of cardiometabolic risk factors, as well as the severity of liver steatosis, can affect the aggressiveness and prognosis of the disease. The article presents the results of own studies aimed at determining the prognostic significance of risk factors (individual and in different combinations) and steatometry. Objective. To determine the influence of individual cardiometabolic factors, their number and various combinations on the aggressiveness and prognosis of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease; to assess the prognostic value of steatometry for the disease. Material and methods. The examination results (steatometry, blood biochemistry tests, abdominal ultrasound) of patients diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease were retrospectively analyzed. Statistical analysis: Student's t-test, Pearson's χ 2-test, odds ratio, relative risk, Fisher's φ -test, ROC-analysis. Results. 146 patients were included. Cohort characteristics: average age 49.3 years, 84 men (57.5%). Aggressive forms (steatohepatitis, advanced steatosis) were associated with arterial hypertension, carbohydrate metabolism disorders (the most significant is insulin resistance), dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia. The severity of liver steatosis was less in patients who received therapy for lipid metabolism disorders comparing with those who didn’t. The presence of three or more cardiometabolic risk factors in a patient increased the risk of steatohepatitis and advanced steatosis. The combination of arterial hypertension and hyperuricemia significantly increased the risk of steatohepatitis. Advanced hepatic steatosis (≥310 dB/m2 by steatometry) was reliably associated with steatohepatitis. Conclusion. Individual risk factors, their number and combinations, contribute differently to the development of aggressive forms of the disease. Hyperuricemia should be considered as an additional cardiometabolic risk factor. Steatometry is capable of identifying advanced hepatic steatosis, being a risk factor for the development of steatohepatitis, which allows us to recommend it for the early diagnosis of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.