Ultrasound-derived fat fraction to assess liver steatosis in obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

This study aims to explore the characteristics and influencing factors of ultrasound-derived fat fraction (UDFF) in obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Evaluate the diagnostic value of UDFF for MAFLD. This study included 124 obese PCOS patients and 106 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched obese women, collecting clinical data from both groups. Compare the characteristics and related factors of hepatic steatosis between two groups. A total of 124 obese PCOS patients were divided into MAFLD group (n = 64) and no MAFLD group (n = 60). Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors for MAFLD in obese PCOS patients, and Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between UDFF and various variables. The MAFLD group was further divided into mild group (S1, n = 16), moderate group (S2, n = 24), and severe group (S3, n = 24). Based on the ultrasound results, draw a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) for diagnosing the degree of hepatic steatosis in obese PCOS patients using UDFF. MAFLD was more common in the obese PCOS group than in the simple obese group (51.61% vs. 40.57%, P < 0.05). UDFF is positively correlated with the severity of MAFLD (r = 0.603, P < 0.01). The AUC for diagnosing liver steatosis with S ≥ 1, S ≥ 2, and S = 3 using UDFF is 0.935, 0.951, and 0.916. UDFF has certain diagnostic value for metabolic-related fatty liver disease in obese PCOS patients, and UDFF levels gradually increase with the severity of MAFLD.