Gastric Myoelectric Activity in Patients With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: A Case-Control Study

Background Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is increasingly recognized for its extrahepatic manifestations, including gastrointestinal dysfunctions such as gastroparesis. This case-control study aimed to determine whether patients with MASLD exhibit gastric myoelectric abnormalities using electrogastrography (EGG). Methodology A case-control study was conducted with 16 MASLD patients and 16 healthy controls. Participants underwent EGG recordings in fasting and post-prandial states, including a water load standard test (WLST). Demographic data and gastric myoelectric parameters were collected and analyzed using paired Student's t-tests and chi-square analysis. Results MASLD patients and controls were demographically well-matched. MASLD patients exhibited significantly higher water ingestion volumes during WLST (987.5 ± 222.5 mL vs. 656.3 ± 405.7 mL; p = 0.002), suggesting altered gastric accommodation. Trends toward hyponormal 3 cpm gastric myoelectric activity were observed in MASLD patients, though not statistically significant. Dysfunctional patterns related to interstitial cells of Cajal and antral pacemaker dysfunction were similarly distributed across both groups. Conclusions MASLD is associated with impaired gastric accommodation and possible myoelectric abnormalities, supporting its role as a multisystem disorder with gastrointestinal involvement. EGG may offer objective insights into gastric dysfunction in MASLD. Further large-scale studies are warranted to confirm these findings and integrate advanced motility testing.