EVALUATING THE PREDICTIVE ROLE OF TRIGLYCERIDES IN METABOLICALLY ASSOCIATED FATTY LIVER DISEASE AMONG HIGH-RISK CARDIOVASCULAR PATIENTS

Background. Metabolically associated fatty liver disease is closely linked to dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease but the role of triglycerides as predictors of metabolically associated fatty liver disease severity remains underexplored. Purpose. This study aimed to evaluate the association between triglyceride levels and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in patients at high cardiovascular risk. Methods. A total of 284 patients with cardiovascular disease and suspected metabolically associated fatty liver disease underwent clinical evaluation, lipid profiling, and non-invasive liver assessment via Fibroscan. Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore relationships between triglycerides, liver steatosis, fibrosis, and lipid parameters. Results. Triglycerides showed a modest positive correlation with hepatic steatosis (r = 0.27) and a weaker correlation with fibrosis (r = 0.11). Additionally, triglycerides correlated moderately with total cholesterol (r = 0.36) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.35). No significant sex differences in liver disease stages were found. Conclusion. Triglycerides may serve as accessible biomarkers for early metabolically associated fatty liver disease related liver changes in cardiovascular patients. Further research is needed to validate their clinical utility.