Performance and limitations of steatosis biomarkers in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Prospective study comparing hepatic steatosis assessment by magnetic resonance imaging and four ultrasound methods in 105 successive patients

BACKGROUND

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming a major health problem, resulting in hepatic, metabolic and cardio-vascular morbidity.

AIM

To evaluate new ultrasonographic tools to detect and measure hepatic steatosis.

METHODS

We prospectively included 105 patients referred to our liver unit for NAFLD suspicion or follow-up. They underwent ultrasonographic measurement of liver sound speed estimation (SSE) and attenuation coefficient (AC) using Aixplorer MACH 30 (Supersonic Imagine, France), continuous controlled attenuation parameter (cCAP) using Fibroscan (Echosens, France) and standard liver ultrasound with hepato-renal index (HRI) calculation. Hepatic steatosis was then classified according to magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (PDFF). Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance in the diagnosis of steatosis.

RESULTS

Most patients were overweight or obese (90%) and had metabolic syndrome (70%). One third suffered from diabetes. Steatosis was identified in 85 patients (81%) according to PDFF. Twenty-one patients (20%) had advanced liver disease. SSE, AC, cCAP and HRI correlated with PDFF, with respective Spearman correlation coefficient of -0.39, 0.42, 0.54 and 0.59 (P < 0.01). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for detection of steatosis with HRI was 0.91 (0.83-0.99), with the best cut-off value being 1.3 (Se = 83%, Sp = 98%). The optimal cCAP threshold of 275 dB/m, corresponding to the recent EASL-suggested threshold, had a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 80%. Corresponding AUROC was 0.79 (0.66-0.92). The diagnostic accuracy of cCAP was more reliable when standard deviation was < 15 dB/m with an AUC of 0.91 (0.83-0.98). An AC threshold of 0.42 dB/cm/MHz had an AUROC was 0.82 (0.70-0.93). SSE performed moderately with an AUROC of 0.73 (0.62-0.84).

CONCLUSION

Among all ultrasonographic tools evaluated in this study, including new-generation tools such as cCAP and SSE, HRI had the best performance. It is also the simplest and most available method as most ultrasound scans are equipped with this module.

Simultaneous imaging of ultrasonic relative backscatter and attenuation coefficients for quantitative liver steatosis assessment

Prevalence of liver disease is continuously increasing and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common etiology. We present an approach to detect the progression of liver steatosis based on quantitative ultrasound (QUS) imaging. This study was performed on a group of 55 rats that were subjected to a control or methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet known to induce NAFLD. Ultrasound (US) measurements were performed at 2 and 6 weeks. Thereafter, animals were humanely euthanized and livers excised for histological analysis. Relative backscatter and attenuation coefficients were simultaneously estimated from the US data and envelope signal-to-noise ratio was calculated to train a regression model for: (1) fat fraction percentage estimation and (2) performing classification according to Brunt's criteria in grades (0 <5%; 1, 5-33%; 2, >33-66%; 3, >66%) of liver steatosis. The trained regression model achieved an [Formula: see text] of 0.97 (p-value < 0.01) and a RMSE of 3.64. Moreover, the classification task reached an accuracy of 94.55%. Our results suggest that in vivo QUS is a promising noninvasive imaging modality for the early assessment of NAFLD.

Indices of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in prediabetes and association with diabetes development in the vitamin D and type 2 diabetes study

AIMS

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common comorbidity that leads to poor outcomes in people at high risk for development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Vitamin D is a possible mediator. In the vitamin D and type 2 diabetes study (D2d), we investigated the relationship of baseline indices of NAFLD with incident T2D and whether the effect of vitamin D on diabetes was modified by NAFLD.

METHODS

Cross-sectional associations of indices of NAFLD with glycemia and vitamin D status were assessed in 3972 individuals screened for the D2d study. In those with prediabetes randomized to vitamin D or placebo (n = 2423), we examined longitudinal associations of NAFLD indices with incident T2D. We used validated non-invasive scores to assess steatosis [(hepatic steatosis index (HSI); NAFLD-liver fat score (NAFLD-LFS)] and advanced fibrosis [fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index; AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI)].

RESULTS

Eighty-five percent of screened participants had likely steatosis by HSI and 71 % by NAFLD-LFS; 3 % were likely to have advanced fibrosis by FIB-4 and 1.2 % by APRI. FIB-4 indicated that 20.4 % of individuals require further follow up to assess liver health. Steatosis and fibrosis scores were higher among participants with worse glycemia. The NAFLD-LFS and APRI predicted development of diabetes (hazard ratios [95%CI] 1.35 [1.07, 1.70]; P = 0.012) and 2.36 (1.23, 4.54; P = 0.010), respectively). The effect of vitamin D on diabetes risk was not modified by baseline NAFLD indices. Individuals with likely steatosis had a smaller increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level in response to vitamin D than those without steatosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The predicted high prevalence of steatosis, the need for further fibrosis workup, and the relationship between liver health and incident T2D suggest that routine screening with clinically accessible scores may be an important strategy to reduce disease burden.

Association between the fatty liver index and the risk of fracture among individuals over the age of 50 years: a nationwide population-based study

Background and purpose

The association between fatty liver and fracture risk has not been firmly established. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the fatty liver index (FLI) and the incidence of fractures among individuals ≥50 years of age, using a nationwide population-based cohort.

Methods

Data from the Korean National Health Insurance System between January 2009 and December 2019 were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Fatty liver status was defined using FLI. Newly diagnosed fractures were identified based on insurance claim data.

Results

Among the 3,384,457 individuals who met our inclusion criteria over the study period, 444,203 cases of incident fractures were identified over a median follow-up of 10.3 years. On multivariate analysis, the risk of fracture was significantly higher among individuals with a higher FLI score compared to those with an FLI<30, with adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] and 95% confidence interval [CI] as follows: FLI 30-59 group, aHR 1.04 and 95% CI 1.03-1.05; and FLI ≥60 group, aHR 1.12 and 95% CI 1.10-1.13. A higher FLI was associated with a greater risk of hip (aHR 1.23 and 1.52 for the FLI 30-59 and FLI ≥60 group, respectively) and vertebral fracture (aHR 1.08 and 1.16 for the FLI 30-59 and FLI≥60 group, respectively). The association between the risk for fracture and FLI ≥60 was prominent for non-obese than obese individuals (aHR 1.25 and 95% CI, 1.22-1.27 versus 1.06 and 1.05-1.08, respectively).

Conclusions

A high FLI is associated with an increased risk of hip and vertebral fractures among individuals ≥50 years of age, suggestive of an association between a higher FLI and osteoporotic fractures.

Precision Medicine in Fatty Liver Disease/Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease, and is related to fatal and non-fatal liver, metabolic, and cardiovascular complications. Its non-invasive diagnosis and effective treatment remain an unmet clinical need. NAFLD is a heterogeneous disease that is most commonly present in the context of metabolic syndrome and obesity, but not uncommonly, may also be present without metabolic abnormalities and in subjects with normal body mass index. Therefore, a more specific pathophysiology-based subcategorization of fatty liver disease (FLD) is needed to better understand, diagnose, and treat patients with FLD. A precision medicine approach for FLD is expected to improve patient care, decrease long-term disease outcomes, and develop better-targeted, more effective treatments. We present herein a precision medicine approach for FLD based on our recently proposed subcategorization, which includes the metabolic-associated FLD (MAFLD) (i.e., obesity-associated FLD (OAFLD), sarcopenia-associated FLD (SAFLD, and lipodystrophy-associated FLD (LAFLD)), genetics-associated FLD (GAFLD), FLD of multiple/unknown causes (XAFLD), and combined causes of FLD (CAFLD) as well as advanced stage fibrotic FLD (FAFLD) and end-stage FLD (ESFLD) subcategories. These and other related advances, as a whole, are expected to enable not only improved patient care, quality of life, and long-term disease outcomes, but also a considerable reduction in healthcare system costs associated with FLD, along with more options for better-targeted, more effective treatments in the near future.

Sugar-sweetened beverages, low/no-calorie beverages, fruit juice and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease defined by fatty liver index: the SWEET project

BACKGROUND

Sweetened beverage intake may play a role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development, but scientific evidence on their role is limited. This study examined associations between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), low/no-calorie beverages (LNCB) and fruit juice (FJ) intakes and NAFLD in four European studies.

METHODS

Data for 42,024 participants of Lifelines Cohort, NQPlus, PREDIMED-Plus and Alpha Omega Cohort were cross-sectionally analysed. NAFLD was assessed using Fatty Liver Index (FLI) (≥60). Restricted cubic spline analyses were used to visualize dose-response associations in Lifelines Cohort. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses with robust variance were performed for associations in individual cohorts; data were pooled using random effects meta-analysis. Models were adjusted for demographic, lifestyle, and other dietary factors.

RESULTS

Each additional serving of SSB per day was associated with a 7% higher FLI-defined NAFLD prevalence (95%CI 1.03-1.11). For LNCB, restricted cubic spline analysis showed a nonlinear association with FLI-defined NAFLD, with the association getting stronger when consuming ≤1 serving/day and levelling off at higher intake levels. Pooled Cox analysis showed that intake of >2 LNCB servings/week was positively associated with FLI-defined NAFLD (PR 1.38, 95% CI 1.15-1.61; reference: non-consumers). An inverse association was observed for FJ intake of ≤2 servings/week (PR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.88-0.97; reference: non-consumers), but not at higher intake levels. Theoretical replacement of SSB with FJ showed no significant association with FLI-defined NAFLD prevalence (PR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-1.00), whereas an adverse association was observed when SSB was replaced with LNCB (PR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.21).

CONCLUSIONS

Pooling results of this study showed that SSB and LNCB were positively associated with FLI-defined NAFLD prevalence. Theoretical replacement of SSB with LNCB was associated with higher FLI-defined NAFLD prevalence. An inverse association was observed between moderate intake of FJ and FLI-defined NAFLD. Our results should be interpreted with caution as reverse causality cannot be ruled out.

Effects of Monacolin K in Nondiabetic Patients with NAFLD: A Pilot Study

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver condition with significant risk of progression to steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. Therapeutic strategies in NAFLD include lifestyle changes mainly related to dietary interventions and use of drugs or nutritional components that could improve plasma lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity and decrease the local inflammatory response. In this study, we tested the effects of monacolin K, an inhibitor of HMCoA reductase. In a prospective, uncontrolled, open study, we treated 24 patients with NAFLD and mild hypercholesterolemia with 10 mg/day of monacolin K. At baseline and after 26 weeks, we measured in plasma liver tests, lipids, malondialdehyde, and oxidized glutathione, and assessed biochemical steatosis scores, liver elastography, and body composition with bioimpedance analysis. Monacolin K significantly reduced plasma alanine aminotransferase, cholesterol, triglycerides and the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index that indicated improved insulin sensitivity. No significant changes were found in body fat mass and visceral fat, nor in liver elastography, while the fatty liver index (FLI) was significantly decreased. Plasma levels of both malondialdehyde and oxidized glutathione were markedly reduced by monacolin K treatment, suggesting a reduction in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. In summary, this pilot study suggests possible benefits of monacolin K use in NAFLD patients that could be linked to a reduction in oxidative stress. This hypothesis should be further investigated in future studies.

Leveraging the future of diagnosis and management of diabetes: From old indexes to new technologies

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease. However, glycemia and glycated hemoglobin have been the focus of diabetes diagnosis and management for the last decades. As diabetes management goes far beyond glucose control, it has become clear that assessment of other biochemical parameters gives a much wider view of the metabolic state of each individual, enabling a precision medicine approach.

METHODS

In this review, we summarize and discuss indexes that have been used in epidemiological studies and in the clinical practice.

RESULTS

Indexes of insulin secretion, sensitivity/resistance and metabolism have been developed and validated over the years to account also with insulin, C-peptide, triglycerides or even anthropometric measures. Nevertheless, each one has their own objective and consequently, advantages and disadvantages for specific cases. Thus, we discuss how new technologies, namely new sensors but also new softwares/applications, can improve the diagnosis and management of diabetes, both for healthcare professionals but also for caretakers and, importantly, to promote the empowerment of people living with diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

In long-term, the solution for a better diabetes management would be a platform that allows to integrate all sorts of relevant information for the person with diabetes and for the healthcare practitioners, namely glucose, insulin and C-peptide or, in case of need, other parameters/indexes at home, sometimes more than once a day. This solution would allow a better and simpler disease management, more adequate therapeutics thereby improving patients' quality of life and reducing associated costs.

[State of the art on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)]

NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the complications of obesity and diabetes, the prevalence of which is increasing. The causes of the pathology and its development towards its severe form, NASH or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, are multiple and still poorly understood. Many different pharmacological classes are being tested in clinical trials to treat NASH, but no pharmaceutical treatment is currently on the market. Moreover, the diagnosis of certainty is only possible by liver biopsy and histological analysis, an invasive procedure with high risk for the patient. It is therefore necessary to better understand the natural history of the disease in order to identify therapeutic targets, but also to identify markers for the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease using a blood sample, which will allow an improvement in patient management.

Improved glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes has a beneficial impact on NAFLD, independent of change in BMI or glucose lowering agent

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The current focus of the treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is lifestyle intervention with the aim of significant weight loss alongside aggressive cardiovascular risk reduction. NAFLD is tightly associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. In patients with T2D, glucose lowering agents that promote weight loss have shown a beneficial impact on NAFLD. However, it remains unclear as to whether glucose lowering can improve NALFD in patients with T2D, independent of weight loss.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a retrospective analysis of data from 637 people with T2D, we examined the longitudinal impact of optimizing glycaemic control with DPP-IV inhibitors, GLP-1RAs and SGLT2 inhibitors on Fatty liver index (FLI) and Fibrosis score 4 (Fib-4) adjusting for changes in BMI and choice of glucose lowering regimen over a 12-month period. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between the change in glycated haemoglobin and change in FLI after adjustment for change in BMI, age, sex, and drug class (R = 0.467, p = 0.031). The greatest reduction in FLI was observed in patients with the largest reduction in glycated haemoglobin (p < 0.0001). The probability of improvements in FLI with optimization of glycaemic control was similar with all 3 glucose lowering agents, despite differences in weight reduction. Similar relationships were observed examining the changes in glycaemic control and Fib-4.

CONCLUSIONS

Improvements in glucose control that are independent of weight loss are associated with improvement in NAFLD and should form an integral part of the management patients with co-existent NAFLD and T2D.

The Link between NAFLD and Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by an association of cardiovascular and diabetes mellitus type 2 risk factors. Although the definition of MetS slightly differs depending on the society that described it, its central diagnostic criteria include impaired fasting glucose, low HDL-cholesterol, elevated triglycerides levels and high blood pressure. Insulin resistance (IR) is believed to be the main cause of MetS and is connected to the level of visceral or intra-abdominal adipose tissue, which could be assessed either by calculating body mass index or by measuring waist circumference. Most recent studies revealed that IR may also be present in non-obese patients, and considered visceral adiposity to be the main effector of MetS' pathology. Visceral adiposity is strongly linked with hepatic fatty infiltration also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), therefore, the level of fatty acids in the hepatic parenchyma is indirectly linked with MetS, being both a cause and a consequence of this syndrome. Taking into consideration the present pandemic of obesity and its tendency to drift towards a progressively earlier onset due to the Western lifestyle, it leads to an increased NAFLD incidence. Novel therapeutic resources are lifestyle intervention with physical activity, Mediterranean diet, or therapeutic surgical respective metabolic and bariatric surgery or drugs such as SGLT-2i, GLP-1 Ra or vitamin E. NAFLD early diagnosis is important due to its easily available diagnostic tools such as non-invasive tools: clinical and laboratory variables (serum biomarkers): AST to platelet ratio index, fibrosis-4, NAFLD Fibrosis Score, BARD Score, fibro test, enhanced liver fibrosis; imaging-based biomarkers: Controlled attenuation parameter, magnetic resonance imaging proton-density fat fraction, transient elastography (TE) or vibration controlled TE, acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, shear wave elastography, magnetic resonance elastography; and the possibility to prevent its complications, respectively, fibrosis, hepato-cellular carcinoma or liver cirrhosis which can develop into end-stage liver disease.

Fasting serum fructose is associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: A prospective study

AIM

The association between sugar-sweetened beverages and metabolic disorders has been well studied. However, it has not been determined whether fasting serum fructose is associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).

METHODS

Participants were enrolled from 2011 to 2012 in Shanghai. Fasting serum fructose concentration was measured with a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method.

RESULTS

A total of 954 participants without diabetes were included. They were followed for an average of 3.5 years. A total of 320 (33.5%) participants had MAFLD at baseline. With the increase in fasting serum fructose level by quartile, the MAFLD prevalence was increased by 27.0%, 25.0%, 37.4%, and 44.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). Each SD increase in fasting serum fructose level was associated with a 60% increased risk of MAFLD (odds ratio 1.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-1.88; p < 0.001). Fasting serum fructose levels were more closely associated with four components of MAFLD (hepatic steatosis, prediabetes, insulin resistance, and low high-density lipoprotein). We built a diagnostic model named the fructose fat index (FFI). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the FFI was 0.879 (95% CI, 0.850-0.908) in the derivation cohort and 0.827 (95% CI, 0.776-0.878) in the validation cohort. Subsequent prospective studies found that the incidence risk of MAFLD was 2.26 times higher in the high-fructose group than in the low-fructose group among female participants (95% CI, 1.46-3.49; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Fasting serum fructose concentration, which mostly reflects endogenous fructose, was associated with a higher risk of MAFLD. The FFI derived from fasting serum fructose could be used to predict MAFLD.

Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease that affects approximately one-quarter of the global adult population, posing a significant threat to human health with wide-ranging social and economic implications. The main characteristic of NAFLD is considered that the excessive fat is accumulated and deposited in hepatocytes without excess alcohol intake or some other pathological causes. NAFLD is a progressive disease, ranging from steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver transplantation, and death. Therefore, NAFLD will probably emerge as the leading cause of end-stage liver disease in the coming decades. Unlike other highly prevalent diseases, NAFLD has received little attention from the global public health community. Liver biopsy is currently considered the gold standard for the diagnosis and staging of NAFLD because of the absence of noninvasive and specific biomarkers. Due to the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of NAFLD and the heterogeneity of the disease phenotype, no specific pharmacological therapies have been approved for NAFLD at present, although several drugs are in advanced stages of development. This review summarizes the current evidence on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of NAFLD.

Eating, diet, and nutrition for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Nutrition and dietary interventions are a central component in the pathophysiology, but also a cornerstone in the management of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Summarizing our rapidly advancing understanding of how our diet influences our metabolism and focusing on specific effects on the liver, we provide a comprehensive overview of dietary concepts to counteract the increasing burden of NAFLD. Specifically, we emphasize the importance of dietary calorie restriction independently of the macronutrient composition together with adherence to a Mediterranean diet low in added fructose and processed meat that seems to exert favorable effects beyond calorie restriction. Also, we discuss intermittent fasting as a type of diet specifically tailored to decrease liver fat content and increase ketogenesis, awaiting future study results in NAFLD. Finally, personalized dietary recommendations could be powerful tools to increase the effectiveness of dietary interventions in patients with NAFLD considering the genetic background and the microbiome, among others.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and liver function markers are associated with Crohn's disease but not Ulcerative Colitis: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is recently recognized as a condition featured with metabolic dysfunctions in liver. It has been supposed that MAFLD might contribute to the development of IBD, but evidence from prospective cohort studies is lacking and inconclusive.

METHODS

A total of 221,546 females and 183,867 males from the UK Biobank cohort enrolled in 2006-2010 were included to examine whether MAFLD and liver function markers were related to incident IBD. MAFLD was identified based on hepatic steatosis defined by fatty liver index plus the prevalence of overweight, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or at least two metabolic abnormalities. Biomarker related to liver function (albumin [ALB], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], alanine transaminase [ALT], aspartate transaminase [AST]; gamma-glutamyl transferase [GGT], total bilirubin [TB], total protein [TP]) was measured using colorimetric or enzymatic assays. The incidence of IBD was ascertained based on primary care and inpatient records. Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the magnitude of their associations.

RESULTS

With a mean follow-up of 12.1 years, 2228 incident IBD cases were documented. We identified 150,385 individuals with MAFLD at baseline and 86% participants' circulating liver function markers were within the normal range. Participants with MAFLD were associated with a 12% (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03, 1.23, p = 0.012) increased risk of IBD compared with those without MAFLD at baseline; the association was stronger (p-_{Heterogeneity} = 0.006) with Crohn's disease (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.15, 1.59, p < 0.001) than ulcerative colitis (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.93, 1.15, p = 0.57). As for the serum liver function markers, the HRs of IBD for per 1-SD increment in ALB, ALP, AST, and TB concentration were 0.86 (95% CI 0.83, 0.90, p < 0.001), 1.18 (95% CI 1.13, 1.24, p < 0.001), 0.95 (95% CI 0.91, 0.99, p = 0.027), 0.92 (95% CI 0.87, 0.96, p < 0.001), respectively. We did not observe significant associations of GGT and TP with IBD.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with MAFLD were at increased risk of developing IBD, especially CD, but not UC. Circulating levels of liver function biomarkers as the surrogate indicators of MAFLD were also associated with IBD risk.

The Past, Present, and Future of Noninvasive Test in Chronic Liver Diseases

Chronic liver disease is a major global health threat and is the 11th leading cause of death globally. A liver biopsy is frequently required in assessing the degree of steatosis and fibrosis, information that is important in diagnosis, management, and prognostication. However, liver biopsies have limitations and carry a considerable risk, leading to the development of various modalities of noninvasive testing tools. These tools have been developed in recent years and have improved markedly in diagnostic accuracy. Moving forward, they may change the practice of hepatology.

Surveillance of the progression and assessment of treatment endpoints for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an aggressive form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) characterized by steatosis-associated inflammation and liver injury. Without effective treatment or management, NASH can have life-threatening outcomes. Evaluation and identification of NASH patients at risk for adverse outcomes are therefore important. Key issues in screening NASH patients are the assessment of advanced fibrosis, differentiation of NASH from simple steatosis, and monitoring of dynamic changes during follow-up and treatment. Currently, NASH staging and evaluation of the effectiveness for drugs still rely on pathological diagnosis, despite sample error issues and the subjectivity associated with liver biopsy. Optimizing the pathological assessment of liver biopsy samples and developing noninvasive surrogate methods for accessible, accurate, and safe evaluation are therefore critical. Although noninvasive methods including elastography, serum soluble biomarkers, and combined models have been implemented in the last decade, noninvasive diagnostic measurements are not widely applied in clinical practice. More work remains to be done in establishing cost-effective strategies both for screening for at-risk NASH patients and identifying changes in disease severity. In this review, we summarize the current state of noninvasive methods for detecting steatosis, steatohepatitis, and fibrosis in patients with NASH, and discuss noninvasive assessments for screening at-risk patients with a focus on the characteristics that should be monitored at follow-up.

Prevalence and clinical determinants of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by liver scores in adults with type 1 diabetes

AIMS

To investigate the prevalence and clinical risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in type 1 diabetes (T1DM) by liver scores.

METHODS

A retrospective, unicenter, cross-sectional analysis was performed of adults with T1DM from 2015 to 2018. Steatosis scores (hepatic steatosis index-HSI, Framingham steatosis index-FSI) and fibrosis scores (FIB-4 index, AST-to-platelet ratio index-APRI) were associated with clinical parameters.

RESULTS

We identified 447 patients, 38 ± 14.5 yrs, 54 % female, BMI 28 ± 5.9 kg/m². Liver steatosis was prevalent at 61 % by HSI ≥ 36 and 52 % by FSI ≥ 23. A majority of these individuals had normal liver transaminase levels. The presence of advanced fibrosis was 4 % by APRI > 0.7 and 4 % by FIB-4 > 2.67. BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² correlated with steatosis scores (P < 0.001) but not fibrosis scores. Older age (≥40 yrs), hypertension, dyslipidemia, and history of cardiovascular disease were associated with steatosis markers. Only 21 % had any abdominal imaging, 2 % had hepatology referral and 1 % had a liver biopsy. Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist was prescribed in 5 % and thiazolidinedione in 4 %.

CONCLUSION

Liver scores indicating steatosis but not fibrosis is common in adults with T1DM with obesity and/or metabolic syndrome, and is associated with older age, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. NAFLD is under-diagnosed and under-investigated; a minority of patients have had any liver evaluation or treatment.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease vs. type 2 diabetes mellitus non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a longitudinal cohort analysis

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is comorbidity commonly presenting with fatty liver. A recently proposed definition of "metabolic associated fatty liver disease" (MAFLD) is thought to replace non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Yet, despite the significant prevalence of T2DM among fatty liver, there remains limited evidence on the impact of the change in the definition of T2DM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The current study uses data from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018. Survival analysis was conducted with a cox regression and sub-distribution hazard ratio for competing risk events.

RESULTS

6727 patients had a diagnosis of T2DM. 4982 individuals with T2DM had MAFLD and 2032 were MAFLD(+)/NAFLD(-), while 2950 patients were MAFLD(+)/NAFLD(+). The new definition increased fatty liver diagnosis by 68.89%. Patients who were classified as MAFLD(+)/NAFLD(-) were at a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, advanced fibrosis, all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality compared to MAFLD(+)/NAFLD(+). In MAFLD(+)/NAFLD(-), viral hepatitis significantly increases the odds of advanced fibrosis (OR: 6.77, CI: 3.92 to 11.7, p < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.75, CI: 1.29 to 2.40, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The identification and treatment of NAFLD in patients with T2DM is a major concern and the premature change to MAFLD results in an over-diagnosis of fatty liver, exaggerated mortality, and morbidity in patients with T2DM. The definition of MAFLD causes further heterogeneity in fatty liver disease/NAFLD.

Lean or diabetic subtypes predict increased all-cause and disease-specific mortality in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) encompasses diverse disease groups with potentially heterogeneous clinical outcomes. We investigated the risk of all-cause and disease-specific mortality in MAFLD subgroups.

METHODS

Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, participants were divided into four subgroups: no MAFLD, MAFLD-diabetes, MAFLD-overweight/obese, and MAFLD-lean. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) values for all-cause and disease-specific mortality according to MAFLD subgroups were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

Among 9,935,314 participants, those with MAFLD-diabetes showed the highest risk of all-cause and disease-specific mortality. The HRs (95% CI) for all-cause mortality were 1.61 (1.59-1.63), 1.36 (1.34-1.38), and 1.19 (1.18-1.20) in the MAFLD-diabetes, MAFLD-lean, and MAFLD-overweight/obese groups, respectively. The magnitude of cardiovascular disease and cancer-related risk showed the same pattern. The risk of liver-related mortality in the MAFLD-lean group (HR: 2.84, 95% CI: 2.72-2.97) was comparable with that in the MAFLD-diabetes group (HR: 2.85, 95% CI: 2.75-2.95). When stratified by body mass index, liver-related mortality was the highest in MAFLD-lean individuals in the underweight group (HR, 5.03, 95% CI: 4.23-5.97).

CONCLUSIONS

The MAFLD-lean and MAFLD-diabetes groups had a higher risk of all-cause and disease-specific mortality than did the MAFLD-overweight/obese group. Classifying MAFLD subgroups based on metabolic phenotypes might help risk stratification of patients with MAFLD.

Clinical-radiomic analysis for non-invasive prediction of liver steatosis on non-contrast CT: A pilot study

Purpose: Our aim is to build and validate a clinical-radiomic model for non-invasive liver steatosis prediction based on non-contrast computed tomography (CT). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 342 patients with suspected NAFLD diagnoses between January 2019 and July 2020 who underwent non-contrast CT and liver biopsy. Radiomics features from hepatic and splenic regions-of-interests (ROIs) were extracted based on abdominal non-contrast CT imaging. The radiomics signature was constructed based on reproducible features by adopting the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Then, multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to develop a combined clinical-radiomic nomogram integrating radiomics signature with several independent clinical predictors in a training cohort of 124 patients between January 2019 and December 2019. The performance of models was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves and calibration curves. We conducted an internal validation during 103 consecutive patients between January 2020 and July 2020. Results: The radiomics signature was composed of four steatosis-related features and positively correlated with pathologic liver steatosis grade (p < 0.01). In both subgroups (Group One, none vs. steatosis; Group Two, none/mild vs. moderate/severe steatosis), the clinical-radiomic model performed best within the validation cohort with an AUC of 0.734 and 0.930, respectively. The calibration curve confirmed the concordance of excellent models. Conclusion: We developed a robust clinical-radiomic model for accurate liver steatosis stage prediction in a non-invasive way, which may improve the clinical decision-making ability.

Global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in the overweight and obese population: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The global burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) parallels the increase in obesity rates across the world. Although overweight and obesity status are thought to be an effective indicator for NAFLD screening, the exact prevalence of NAFLD in this population remains unknown. We aimed to report the prevalence of NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the overweight and obese population.

METHODS

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched Medline and Embase from database inception until March 6, 2022, using search terms including but not limited to "non-alcoholic fatty liver disease", "overweight", "obesity", and "prevalence". Cross-sectional and longitudinal observational studies published after Jan 1, 2000, written in or translated into English were eligible for inclusion; paediatric studies were excluded. Articles were included if the number of NAFLD, NAFL, or NASH events in an overweight and obese population could be extracted. Summary data were extracted from published reports. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of NAFLD, NAFL, and NASH in an overweight and obese population and the prevalence of fibrosis in individuals who were overweight or obese and who had NAFLD. A meta-analysis of proportions was done with the generalised linear mixed model. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022344526).

FINDINGS

The search identified 7389 articles. 151 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. In the pooled analysis comprising 101 028 individuals, the prevalence of NAFLD in the overweight population was 69·99% (95% CI 65·40-74·21 I²=99·10%), the prevalence of NAFL was 42·49% (32·55-53·08, I²=96·40%), and the prevalence of NASH was 33·50% (28·38-39·04, I²=95·60%). Similar prevalence estimates were reported in the obese population for NAFLD (75·27% [95% CI 70·90-79·18]; I²=98·50%), NAFL (43·05% [32·78-53·97]; I²=96·30%) and NASH (33·67% [28·45-39·31]; I²=95·60%). The prevalence of NAFLD in the overweight population was the highest in the region of the Americas (75·34% [95% CI: 67·31-81·93]; I²=99·00%). Clinically significant fibrosis (stages F2-4) was present in 20·27% (95% CI 11·32-33·62; I²= 93·00%) of overweight individuals with NAFLD and in 21·60% (11·47-36·92; I²=95·00%) of obese patients with NAFLD while 6·65% (4·35-10·01; I²=58·00%) of overweight individuals with NAFLD and 6·85% (3·85-11·90; I²=90·00%) of obese individuals with NAFLD had advanced fibrosis (stages F3-4).

INTERPRETATION

This study summarises the estimated global prevalence of NAFLD, NAFL, and NASH in overweight and obese individuals; these findings are important for improving the understanding of the global NAFLD burden and supporting disease management in the at-risk overweight and obese population.

FUNDING

None.

Low-Grade Hepatic Steatosis Is Associated with Long-term Remission of Type 2 Diabetes Independent of Type of Bariatric-Metabolic Surgery

BACKGROUND

Bariatric-metabolic surgery (BS) decreases the grade of steatosis, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis in patients with severe obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Mechanisms include substantial weight loss, but also simultaneous effects on glucose homeostasis. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between NAFLD and remission of type 2 diabetes (T2D) up to 8 years following different types of BS.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort study including 107 patients with obesity and T2D at baseline, the association between biopsy-proven NAFLD defined as steatosis in > 5% of hepatocytes at the time of surgery and T2D remission up to 8 years following different surgical procedures was investigated. Univariate regression analysis was used to examine the association between NAFLD and remission of T2D.

RESULTS

Long-term remission of T2D was present in 56% of patients (n = 60). The presence of low-grade liver steatosis (grade 1) was associated with remission of T2D. Patients with a liver steatosis score ≥ 2 showed higher HbA1c levels at baseline. There were no significant differences in preoperative presence of lobular inflammation, hepatocyte ballooning, or fibrosis between patients who achieved T2D remission compared with those with no remission. Type of surgery did not affect remission of T2D.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that the presence of low-grade liver steatosis is associated with remission of T2D following sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Therefore, BS should be considered at an early NAFLD stage in patients with T2D.

Development and validation of a new nomogram to screen for MAFLD

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) poses significant health and economic burdens on all nations. Thus, identifying patients at risk early and managing them appropriately is essential. This study's goal was to develop a new predictive model for MAFLD. Additionally, to improve the new model's clinical utility, researchers limited the variables to readily available simple clinical and laboratory measures.

METHODS

Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycle 2017-2020.3, the study was a retrospective cross-sectional study involving 7300 participants. By least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, significant indicators independently associated with MAFLD were identified, and a predictive model called the MAFLD prediction nomogram (MPN) was developed. The study then compared the MPN with six existing predictive models for MAFLD. The model was evaluated by measuring the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), net reclassification index (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) curve.

RESULTS

In this study, researchers identified nine predictors from 33 variables, including age, race, arm circumference (AC), waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), alanine aminotransferase (ALT)-to-aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ratio, triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), hypertension, and diabetes. The diagnostic accuracy of the MPN for MAFLD was significantly better than that of the other six existing models in both the training and validation cohorts (AUC 0.868, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.858-0.877, and AUC 0.863, 95% CI 0.848-0.878, respectively). The MPN showed a higher net benefit than the other existing models.

CONCLUSIONS

This nonimaging-assisted nomogram based on demographics, laboratory factors, anthropometrics, and comorbidities better predicted MAFLD than the other six existing predictive models. Using this model, the general population with MAFLD can be assessed rapidly.

Controlled attenuation parameter accurately detects liver steatosis in people with HIV

OBJECTIVES

Hepatic steatosis is a leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and is highly prevalent in persons with HIV (PWH). However, most studies of hepatic steatosis diagnosis in PWH have focused on those at high risk. We determined the accuracy of vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) in detecting mild or greater hepatic steatosis as compared with the noninvasive gold standard magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in PWH.

METHODS

Among 149 participants with and without HIV, we evaluated test characteristics of CAP and calculated serum indices Hepatic Steatosis Index (HSI) and STEATO-ELSA in identifying 3T MRS-measured hepatic steatosis (defined as a liver fat fraction ≥5%).

RESULTS

Most participants were women and over half were African American. Median BMI was 27 kg/m 2 . Hepatic steatosis prevalence by MRS and CAP (cutoff 248 dB/m) was 36% and 47%, respectively. CAP had an AUROC of 0.82, and the at least 248 dB/m cutoff yielded a sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value, and negative-predictive value of 83%, 72%, 61%, and 88%, respectively. These test characteristics were not statistically different from the optimal cutoff of at least 252 dB/m. Higher waist circumference, greater visceral adipose tissue, heavy alcohol use, and VCTE scans flagged as having the probe positioned too low were associated with CAP and MRS discordance. Serum indices of hepatic steatosis had slightly worse performance characteristics than CAP.

CONCLUSION

CAP may be an effective alternative to MRS for noninvasive hepatic steatosis assessment in PWH. The commonly used CAP cutoff of at least 248 dB/m to diagnose hepatic steatosis can be used in PWH.

Evaluation of ABCA1 gene polymorphism as a prognostic index of fibrosis progression in NAFLD patients

INTRODUCTION

It had been evident that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the new era epidemic. Despite emergence of many drugs on the pipeline that considered candidates to cure NAFLD/NASH, the critical need for defining the cohort liable to fibrosis progression is yet unmet.

AIM

Evaluate ABCA1 (rs1800977) genotyping as a noninvasive predictor of liver fibrosis severity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 118 liver biopsy-proven NAFLD-patients. According to Metavir-fibrosis-staging, cases were divided to early fibrosis (74 cases), and 44 cases with significant fibrosis (>F2), added to 49 healthy control subjects. All patients were subjected to liver function tests, lipids profile, triglyceride TG index, and hepatic steatosis index (HSI) and real-time PCR ABCA1 SNP (rs1800977).

RESULTS

Significant differences in transaminases (p > .05), albumin (p < .009), cholesterol (p0.03), low density lipoproteins (LDL) (0.006), triglycerides (p < .001), HSI (p < .001), FIB4 (p < .001) and APRI (p < .001) were reported in those with significant than early fibrosis and control groups. CC was the most prevalent in significant (36.4%) than early fibrosis (13.5%) and control groups (8.2%), with prevalence of C allele in significant fibrosis (p ≤ .003). Univariate analysis revealed that DM (p ≤ .001), TG index (p ≤ .022), cholesterol (p ≤ .03), HSI (p ≤ .006), LDL (p ≤ .02), HDL (p ≤ .01), APRI (p ≤ .02) and CC genotype (p ≤ .005) were the main factors affecting fibrosis progression in NAFLD. However multivariate analysis proved only the role of HSI (p ≤ .005), LDL (p ≤ .02), HDL (p ≤ .003) and CC genotype (p ≤ .03) in predicting fibrosis severity.

CONCLUSION

Dyslipidemias, hepatic steatosis index and ABCA1 (rs1800977) gene polymorphism CC genotype; were the only independent predictors of advanced fibrosis in NAFLD-patients.

Validity of fatty liver disease indices in the presence of alcohol consumption

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcohol-related liver disease frequently coexist. While several blood-based indices exist for the detection of NAFLD, few studies have examined how alcohol use possibly impacts their diagnostic performance. We analysed the effects of alcohol use on the performance of indices for detecting fatty liver disease (FLD).

METHODS

We included participants from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (Finnish sample) and KORA study (German sample) who underwent abdominal ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging, respectively, for detection of FLD and had serum analyses available for calculation of Fatty Liver Index (FLI), Hepatic Steatosis Index (HSI), Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP), and Dallas Steatosis Index (DSI). Alcohol use was estimated by questionnaires as mean daily consumption and binge drinking (Finnish sample only). Predictive performance for FLD was assessed according to alcohol consumption.

RESULTS

The study included 1426 (Finnish sample) and 385 (German sample) individuals, of which 234 (16%) and 168 (44%) had FLD by imaging. When alcohol consumption was <50 g/day, all indices discriminated FLD with area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) of 0.82-0.88. AUROCs were 0.61-0.66 among heavy drinkers (>50 g/day). AUROCs decreased to 0.74-0.80 in the highest binge-drinking category (>2 times/week). Alcohol use correlated with FLI and LAP (r-range 0.09-0.16, p-range <.001-.02) in both samples and with DSI (r = 0.13, p < .001) in the Finnish sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Indices perform well and comparably for detection of FLD with alcohol consumption <50 g/day and with different binge-drinking behaviour.

Association of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with left ventricular changes in treatment-naive patients with uncomplicated hypertension

Background and aims

Cardiac structural and functional changes have been demonstrated in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Because of the frequent association of NAFLD with hypertension, we aimed to examine the relationship of liver steatosis with left ventricular (LV) changes in patients with hypertension.

Materials and methods

In a cross-sectional study, we included 360 untreated, essential hypertensive patients who were free of major cardiovascular and renal complications. Liver steatosis was assessed by three different biochemical scores (NAFLD Liver Fat Score, LFS; Fatty Liver Index, FLI; Hepatic Steatosis Index, HSI). Echocardiography was performed with standard B-mode and tissue-Doppler imaging.

Results

LV hypertrophy was present in 19.4% and LV diastolic dysfunction in 49.2% of patients who had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index and higher frequency of the metabolic syndrome and liver steatosis that was defined by presence of 2 or more positive scores. LV mass index increased progressively across patients who had none, 1, or 2 or more liver steatosis scores, with associated progressive worsening of LV diastolic function. LV mass index was significantly and positively correlated with age, BMI, BP, HOMA-index, LFS, and HSI. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, BP, and liver steatosis scores independently predicted LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. Liver steatosis independently predicted LV dysfunction but not LV hypertrophy even after inclusion in analysis of the HOMA-index.

Conclusion

NAFLD is associated with LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in untreated patients with hypertension. In hypertension, NAFLD could contribute to LV diastolic dysfunction with mechanisms unrelated to insulin resistance.

Depression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with an increased risk of complications and mortality

Background and aims

The global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is expected to rise continuously. Furthermore, emerging evidence has also shown the potential for concomitant depression in NAFLD. This study aims to examine the prevalence, risk factors, and adverse events of depression in NAFLD and evaluate whether treated depression can reverse the increased risks of adverse outcomes.

Materials and methods

This study analyses the 2000–2018 cycles of NHANES that examined liver steatosis with fatty liver index (FLI). The relationship between NAFLD and depression was assessed with a generalized linear mix model and a sensitivity analysis was conducted in the no depression, treated depression, and untreated depression groups. Survival analysis was conducted with cox regression and fine gray sub-distribution model.

Results

A total of 21,414 patients were included and 6,726 were diagnosed with NAFLD. The risk of depression in NAFLD was 12% higher compared to non-NAFLD individuals (RR: 1.12, CI: 1.00–1.26, p = 0.04). NAFLD individuals with depression were more likely to be older, females, Hispanics or Caucasians, diabetic, and have higher BMI. Individuals with depression have high risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (RR: 1.40, CI: 1.25–1.58, p < 0.01), stroke (RR: 1.71, CI: 1.27–2.23, p < 0.01), all-cause mortality (HR: 1.50, CI: 1.25–1.81, p < 0.01), and cancer-related mortality (SHR: 1.43, CI: 1.14–1.80, p = 0.002) compared to NAFLD individuals without depression. The risk of CVD, stroke, all-cause mortality, and cancer-related mortality in NAFLD individuals with treated depression and depression with untreated treatment was higher compared to individuals without depression.

Conclusion

This study shows that concomitant depression in NAFLD patients can increase the risk of adverse outcomes. Early screening of depression in high-risk individuals should be encouraged to improve the wellbeing of NAFLD patients.

Differences in Insulin Sensitivity, Secretion, and the Metabolic Clearance Rate of Glucose in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: The Influences of Body Mass Index and Fatty Liver

Background: Obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are strongly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), affecting insulin sensitivity and β-cell function. They interact, exacerbating the development of hyperinsulinemia to T2DM. Methods: Through oral glucose tolerance and insulin secretion tests, the relationships between insulin sensitivity and secretion, glucose clearance, body mass index (BMI), and fatty liver were studied in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β), insulin sensitivity index (ISI), and metabolic clearance rate (MCR) of glucose were calculated to analyze insulin sensitivity and β-cell function. Results: There were no differences in HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, first-phase insulin secretion (1st PH), second-phase insulin secretion (2nd PH), ISI, or MCR between lean fatty liver and lean nonfatty liver patients. Both overweight/obesity (ow/ob) and patients with fatty liver increased HOMA-IR, and decreased ISI and MCR. In the ow/ob subgroup, patients with fatty liver had severe insulin resistance but greater HOMA-β, 1st PH, and 2nd PH than individuals with nonfatty liver. The difference in MCR between fatty liver and nonfatty liver groups was not significant. Conclusion: BMI and hepatic steatosis are independent determinants of increased insulin resistance and decreased MCR. However, it is steatosis, not BMI, related to the increase in insulin secretion.

Noninvasive biochemical markers and surrogate scores in evaluating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

The histological features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are the presence of hepatic steatosis with concomitant inflammation, ballooned hepatocytes, and potential fibrosis, which can lead to liver cirrhosis. To reduce the need for liver biopsy, that is still the gold standard for diagnosing NASH, various noninvasive biomarkers have been investigated. This narrative review summarizes the current knowledge about noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers and scores proposed for patients with NASH. A search was performed in the main medical literature databases. The following search terms were used: NASH, noninvasive biomarkers or NASH scores and panels. We focused only on studies assessing NASH diagnosis or predictive values for biomarkers, panels and scores. Data on their accuracy in predicting NASH were collected. Several panels such as NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS), Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), and FibroMeter presented good predictive values of NASH, with novel proteomics panels such as the NAFLD Fibrosis Protein Panel (NFPP) using mainly the adisintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs like 2 (ADAMTSL2) that showed an advantage in predicting NASH compared to NFS and FIB-4. Another novel panel, Index of NASH (ION) performed better than cytokeratin 18 (CK-18) in excluding severe fibrosis, but the overall accuracy of ION and CK-18 was modest compared to NFS and FIB-4 as it did not provide any significant advantage. Noninvasive biomarkers are currently unable to replace liver biopsy and histological assessment. However, they may play a key and vital role in triaging patients for liver biopsy, lowering the related financial burden. Future studies are needed to verify the predictive values of the newly emerging tests and panels as well as to find more affordable and reliable noninvasive early diagnostic tools.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in inflammatory arthritis: Relationship with cardiovascular risk

Liver disease is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide whose prevalence is dramatically increasing. The first sign of hepatic damage is inflammation which could be accompanied by the accumulation of fat called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), causing damage in the hepatocytes. This stage can progress to fibrosis where the accumulation of fibrotic tissue replaces healthy tissue reducing liver function. The next stage is cirrhosis, a late phase of fibrosis where a high percentage of liver tissue has been replaced by fibrotic tissue and liver functionality is substantially impaired. There is a close interplay of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hepatic alterations, where different mechanisms mediating this relation between the liver and systemic vasculature have been described. In chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), in which the CVD risk is high, hepatic alterations seem to be more prevalent compared to the general population and other rheumatic disorders. The pathogenic mechanisms involved in the development of this comorbidity are still unraveled, although chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, treatments, and metabolic deregulation seem to have an important role. In this review, we will discuss the involvement of liver disease in the cardiovascular risk associated with inflammatory arthritis, the pathogenic mechanisms, and the recognized factors involved. Likewise, monitoring of the liver disease risk in routine clinical practice through both, classical and novel techniques and indexes will be exposed. Finally, we will examine the latest controversies that have been raised about the effects of the current therapies used to control the inflammation in RA and PsA, in the liver damage of those patients, such as methotrexate, leflunomide or biologics.

Ultrasound Methods for the Assessment of Liver Steatosis: A Critical Appraisal

The prevalence of the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has reached major proportions, being estimated to affect one-quarter of the global population. The reference techniques, which include liver biopsy and the magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction, have objective practical and financial limitations to their routine use in the detection and quantification of liver steatosis. Therefore, there has been a rising necessity for the development of new inexpensive, widely applicable and reliable non-invasive diagnostic tools. The controlled attenuation parameter has been considered the point-of-care technique for the assessment of liver steatosis for a long period of time. Recently, many ultrasound (US) system manufacturers have developed proprietary software solutions for the quantification of liver steatosis. Some of these methods have already been extensively tested with very good performance results reported, while others are still under evaluation. This manuscript reviews the currently available US-based methods for diagnosing and grading liver steatosis, including their classification and performance results, with an appraisal of the importance of this armamentarium in daily clinical practice.

The triglyceride glucose-body mass index: a non-invasive index that identifies non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the general Japanese population

Background

By identifying individuals at high risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), interventional programs could be targeted more effectively. Some studies have demonstrated that triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI) showed an independent positive association with NAFLD. However, research on its diagnostic value in patients with suspected NAFLD is limited. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether TyG-BMI was accurate in detecting NAFLD in the general Japanese population.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 14,280 individuals who underwent a comprehensive health examination was conducted. Standard protocols were followed to collect anthropometric measurements, lab data, and ultrasonography features. All participants were randomly stratified into the development group (n = 7118) and validation group (n = 7162). The TyG-BMI was calculated. Following this, the diagnostic value of the TyG-BMI was evaluated based on the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Two cutoff points were selected and used to rule out or rule in the NALFD, and the specificity, sensitivity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value were explored, respectively. In order to verify the stability of the results, external verification was performed.

Results

There were 1272 and 1243 NAFLD participants in the development and validation groups, respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of TyG-BMI was 0.888 (95% CI 0.876–0.896) and 0.884 (95% CI 0.875–0.894) for the training and validation group, respectively. Using the low TyG-BMI (182.2) cutoff, NAFLD could be excluded with high accuracy (negative predictive value: 96.9% in estimation and 96.9% in validation). The presence of NAFLD could effectively be determined by applying the high cutoff of TyG-BMI (224.0), as the positive predictive value of the estimation and validation groups is 70.7% and 70.1%, respectively. As a result of applying this model, 9996 (70%) of the 14,280 participants would not have undergone ultrasonography, with an accurate prediction of 9308 (93.1%). AUC was 0.874 for external validation using 183,730 Chinese non-obese participants. TyG-BMI was demonstrated to be an excellent diagnostic tool by both internal and external validation.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the present study developed and validated a simple, non-invasive, and cost-effective tool to accurately separate participants with and without NAFLD in the Japanese population, rendering ultrasonography for identifying NAFLD unnecessary in a substantial proportion of people.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-022-03611-4.

Associations of serum n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids with prevalence and incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of liver diseases worldwide, and lifestyle and diet are significant factors in its development. Recent studies have suggested that dietary fat quality is associated with the development of NAFLD.

OBJECTIVES

Our purpose was to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of serum n-3 (ω-3) and n-6 (ω-6) PUFAs with NAFLD among middle-aged and older men and women from eastern Finland. We also investigated the associations of estimated Δ5-desaturase and Δ6-desaturase activities, enzymes involved in PUFA metabolism, with NAFLD.

METHODS

After exclusions, the cross-sectional analyses included 1533 men examined in 1984-1989 and 674 men and 870 women examined in 1998-2001 in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. The longitudinal analyses included 520 men examined in 1991-1993 and 301 men and 466 women examined in 2005-2008. Fatty liver index (FLI) was used as a surrogate for NAFLD. Hepatic steatosis was defined as FLI >60. ANCOVA and logistic regression were used for analyses.

RESULTS

In the longitudinal analyses, participants with higher serum concentrations of total n-6 PUFA and linoleic acid, the major n-6 PUFA, had markedly lower FLI and lower odds for hepatic steatosis (e.g., odds ratios for incident hepatic steatosis in the highest compared with lowest quartiles were ≤0.41), whereas serum γ-linolenic acid concentration was associated with a higher FLI and higher odds for hepatic steatosis. The associations with the other PUFAs were generally weaker and nonsignificant. In the cross-sectional analyses, also the long-chain n-3 PUFAs had inverse associations. In most analyses, high estimated Δ5-desaturase activity was associated with lower risk and high estimated Δ6-desaturase activity with higher risk for NAFLD.

CONCLUSIONS

In middle-aged and older Finnish adults, higher serum concentrations of total n-6 PUFAs and linoleic acid were associated with lower odds for future NAFLD.

Non-invasive diagnosis and staging of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered to be the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome and is characterized by ectopic accumulation of triglycerides in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, i.e., steatosis. NAFLD has become the most common chronic liver disease, with an estimated global prevalence of 25%. Although the majority of NAFLD patients will never experience liver-related complications, the progressive potential of NAFLD is indisputable, with 5-10% of subjects progressing to cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, or hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD patients with advanced fibrosis are at the highest risk of developing cardiovascular and cirrhosis-related complications. Liver biopsy has hitherto been considered the reference method for evaluation of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis stage. Given the limitations of biopsy for widescale screening, non-invasive tests (NITs) for assessment of steatosis and fibrosis stage, including serum-based algorithms and ultrasound- and magnetic resonance-based methods, will play an increasing role in the management of NAFLD patients. This comprehensive review presents the advantages and limitations of NITs for identification of steatosis and advanced fibrosis in NAFLD. The clinical implications of using NITs to identify and manage NAFLD patients are also discussed.

The prevalence and incidence of NAFLD worldwide: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide and the leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. We aimed to predict the burden of NAFLD by examining and estimating the temporal trends of its worldwide prevalence and incidence.

METHODS

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science without language restrictions for reports published between date of database inception and May 25, 2021. We included observational cross-sectional or longitudinal studies done in study populations representative of the general adult population, in whom NAFLD was diagnosed using an imaging method in the absence of excessive alcohol consumption and viral hepatitis. Studies were excluded if conducted in paediatric populations (aged <18 years) or subgroups of the general population. Summary estimates were extracted from included reports by KR and independently verified by HA using the population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes framework. Primary outcomes were the prevalence and incidence of NAFLD. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate overall and sex-specific pooled effect estimates and 95% CIs.

FINDINGS

The search identified 28 557 records, of which 13 577 records were screened; 299 records were also identified via other methods. In total, 72 publications with a sample population of 1 030 160 individuals from 17 countries were included in the prevalence analysis, and 16 publications with a sample population of 381 765 individuals from five countries were included in the incidence analysis. The overall prevalence of NAFLD worldwide was estimated to be 32·4% (95% CI 29·9-34·9). Prevalence increased significantly over time, from 25·5% (20·1-31·0) in or before 2005 to 37·8% (32·4-43·3) in 2016 or later (p=0·013). Overall prevalence of NAFLD was significantly higher in men than in women (39·7% [36·6-42·8] vs 25·6% [22·3-28·8]; p<0·0001). The overall incidence of NAFLD was estimated to be 46·9 cases per 1000 person-years (36·4-57·5); 70·8 cases per 1000 person-years (48·7-92·8) in men and 29·6 cases per 1000 person-years (20·2-38·9) in women (p<0·0001). There was considerable heterogeneity between studies of both NAFLD prevalence (I²=99·9%) and NAFLD incidence (I²=99·9%).

INTERPRETATION

Worldwide prevalence of NAFLD is considerably higher than previously estimated and is continuing to increase at an alarming rate. Incidence and prevalence of NAFLD are significantly higher among men than among women. Greater awareness of NAFLD and the development of cost-effective risk stratification strategies are warranted to address the growing burden of NAFLD.

FUNDING

Canadian Institutes of Health.

European guideline on obesity care in patients with gastrointestinal and liver diseases - Joint European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism / United European Gastroenterology guideline

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disease such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), celiac disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), pancreatitis, and chronic liver disease (CLD) often suffer from obesity because of coincidence (IBD, IBS, celiac disease) or related pathophysiology (GERD, pancreatitis and CLD). It is unclear if such patients need a particular diagnostic and treatment that differs from the needs of lean GI patients. The present guideline addresses this question according to current knowledge and evidence.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the guideline is to give advice to all professionals working in the field of gastroenterology care including physicians, surgeons, dietitians and others how to handle patients with GI disease and obesity.

METHODS

The present guideline was developed according to the standard operating procedure for European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism guidelines, following the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network grading system (A, B, 0, and good practice point [GPP]). The procedure included an online voting (Delphi) and a final consensus conference.

RESULTS

In 100 recommendations (3x A, 33x B, 24x 0, 40x GPP, all with a consensus grade of 90% or more) care of GI patients with obesity - including sarcopenic obesity - is addressed in a multidisciplinary way. A particular emphasis is on CLD, especially fatty liver disease, since such diseases are closely related to obesity, whereas liver cirrhosis is rather associated with sarcopenic obesity. A special chapter is dedicated to obesity care in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. The guideline focuses on adults, not on children, for whom data are scarce. Whether some of the recommendations apply to children must be left to the judgment of the experienced pediatrician.

CONCLUSION

The present guideline offers for the first time evidence-based advice how to care for patients with chronic GI diseases and concomitant obesity, an increasingly frequent constellation in clinical practice.

Risk factors and prediction model for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in northwest China

In recent years, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most important chronic liver disease worldwide. The prevalence of NAFLD in China has also increased year by year. This study aimed to detect NAFLD early by developing a nomogram model in Chinese individuals. A total of 8861 subjects who underwent physical examination in Karamay and were 18 to 62 years old were enrolled. Clinical information, laboratory results and ultrasound findings were retrieved. The participants were randomly assigned to the development set (n = 6203) and the validation set (n = 2658). Significant variables independently associated with NAFLD were identified by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and the multiple logistic regression model. Six variables were selected to construct the nomogram: age, sex, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides and glucose index (TyG). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the development set and validation set was 0.886 and 0.894, respectively. The calibration curves showed excellent accuracy of the nomogram model. This physical examination and laboratory test-based nomogram can predict the risk of NAFLD intuitively and individually.

European guideline on obesity care in patients with gastrointestinal and liver diseases - Joint ESPEN/UEG guideline

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disease such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), celiac disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), pancreatitis, and chronic liver disease (CLD) often suffer from obesity because of coincidence (IBD, IBS, celiac disease) or related pathophysiology (GERD, pancreatitis and CLD). It is unclear if such patients need a particular diagnostic and treatment that differs from the needs of lean GI patients. The present guideline addresses this question according to current knowledge and evidence.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the guideline is to give advice to all professionals working in the field of gastroenterology care including physicians, surgeons, dietitians and others how to handle patients with GI disease and obesity.

METHODS

The present guideline was developed according to the standard operating procedure for ESPEN guidelines, following the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) grading system (A, B, 0, and good practice point (GPP)). The procedure included an online voting (Delphi) and a final consensus conference.

RESULTS

In 100 recommendations (3x A, 33x B, 24x 0, 40x GPP, all with a consensus grade of 90% or more) care of GI patients with obesity - including sarcopenic obesity - is addressed in a multidisciplinary way. A particular emphasis is on CLD, especially fatty liver disease, since such diseases are closely related to obesity, whereas liver cirrhosis is rather associated with sarcopenic obesity. A special chapter is dedicated to obesity care in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. The guideline focuses on adults, not on children, for whom data are scarce. Whether some of the recommendations apply to children must be left to the judgment of the experienced pediatrician.

CONCLUSION

The present guideline offers for the first time evidence-based advice how to care for patients with chronic GI diseases and concomitant obesity, an increasingly frequent constellation in clinical practice.

Identification of novel targets in adipose tissue involved in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression

Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We hypothesize that a dysfunctional subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT) may lead to an accumulation of ectopic fat in the liver. Our aim was to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in the causative role of scWAT in NALFD progression. We performed a RNA-sequencing analysis in a discovery cohort (n = 45) to identify genes in scWAT correlated with fatty liver index, a qualitative marker of liver steatosis. We then validated those targets in a second cohort (n = 47) of obese patients who had liver biopsies available. Finally, we obtained scWAT mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from 13 obese patients at different stages of NAFLD and established in vitro models of human MSC (hMSC)-derived adipocytes. We observed impaired adipogenesis in hMSC-derived adipocytes as liver steatosis increased, suggesting that an impaired adipogenic capacity is a critical event in the development of NAFLD. Four genes showed a differential expression pattern in both scWAT and hMSC-derived adipocytes, where their expression paralleled steatosis degree: SOCS3, DUSP1, SIK1, and GADD45B. We propose these genes as key players in NAFLD progression. They could eventually constitute potential new targets for future therapies against liver steatosis.

Evaluation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in severe obesity using noninvasive tests and imaging techniques

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the more severe and inflammatory type, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is increasing rapidly. Especially in high-risk patients, that is those with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, the prevalence of NAFLD can be as high as 80% while NASH may be present in 20% of these subjects. With the worldwide increase of obesity, it is most likely that these numbers will rise. Since advanced stages of NAFLD and NASH are strongly associated with morbidity and mortality-in particular, cardiovascular disease, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma-it is of great importance to identify subjects at risk. A great variety of noninvasive tests has been published to diagnose NAFLD and NASH, especially using blood- and imaging-based tests. Liver biopsy remains the gold standard for NAFLD/NASH. This review aims to summarize the different mechanisms leading to NASH and liver fibrosis, the different noninvasive liver tests to diagnose and evaluate patients with severe obesity.

Metformin Improves the Hepatic Steatosis Index in Non-Obese Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common yet little recognized health problem in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In a retrospective setting, we investigated the effects of metformin treatment on the hepatic steatosis index (HSI) as a readily available biomarker panel for NAFLD. HSI values of >36 are considered to be highly suggestive for NAFLD. In our cohort, HSI values indicating NAFLD were found in 60/81 (74.1%) women at baseline. The mean HSI improved significantly after the metformin treatment from 43.2 ± 1.0 to 41.0 ± 1.1. Subgroup analyses of non-obese (body mass index (BMI) < 30 kg/m2), obese (BMI 30−35 kg/m2) and very obese (BMI > 35 kg/m2) women yielded mean baseline HSI values of 35.5 ± 4.5, 41.2 ± 2.7 and 51.2 ± 4.7, respectively. A significant improvement in the HSI of 1.5 ± 2.1 was observed after metformin treatment in non-obese women but not in the obese subgroups. The data suggest a new aspect of metformin treatment in non-obese PCOS patients, namely, a possible improvement in NAFLD. This study highlighted hepatic steatosis as a common comorbidity in PCOS patients that can severely affect their long-term health, and therefore, deserves more attention in the management of PCOS patients.

Greater Muscular Strength Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Pulmonary Dysfunction in Individuals with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

This study investigated the combined effect of handgrip strength (HGS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on pulmonary function using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2016 to 2018. For the present study, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), the FEV1/FVC ratio, handgrip strength (HGS) and the hepatic steatosis index (HSI) to estimate NAFLD were obtained from nationwide cross-sectional surveys. For HGS, subjects were divided into higher HGS (upper 50%) and lower HGS (lower 50%). For NAFLD, subjects were divided into the NAFLD cohort (HSI > 36) and the normal cohort (HSI ≤ 36). Of 1651 subjects (men, n = 601), 25.5% of subjects (n = 421) met the HSI > 36. Based on the normal cohort with high HGS, the normal cohort with low HGS showed an increased risk of reduced FVC (OR = 3.062, 95% CI = 2.46−4.83, p < 0.001) and the NAFLD cohort with low HGS showed a further increased risk of reduced FVC (OR = 4.489, 95% CI = 3.43−7.09, p < 0.001). However, the risk of reduced FVC was not significantly increased in NAFLD with high HGS (OR = 1.297, 95% CI = 0.67−2.50, p = 0.436). After adjusted for covariates such as age, sex, smoking, FBG, HDL-C, TG, SBP, DBP, CRP and alcohol consumption, the results remained similar. More importantly, these results were consistent in the obesity-stratified analysis. The current findings of the study suggest that higher muscle strength is associated with a lower risk of reduced pulmonary function in individuals with NAFLD.

Comparison of the diagnostic value between triglyceride-glucose index and triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease patients: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Background

The triglyceride and glucose index (TyG) and triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) are substitute markers of insulin resistance (IR). In a retrospective cross-sectional study, the authors aimed to compare the efficacy of the two indicators in diagnosing metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) to construct a novel disease diagnosis model.

Methods

Overall, 229 patients (97 MAFLD and 132 Non-MAFLD at West China Hospital of Sichuan University were included. MAFLD was diagnosed using ultrasonography. Biochemical indexes were collected and analyzed by logistic regression to screen out indicators that were expressed differently in MAFLD patients and healthy controls, which were incorporated into a diagnostic model.

Results

After adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), AST/ALT (A/A), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), cystatin C (Cys-C), uric acid (URIC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), non-HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, non-HDL-C/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, TyG, and TyG-BMI were risk factors for MAFLD. The odds ratio of TG/HDL-C and TyG were 5.629 (95%CI: 3.039–10.424) and 182.474 (95%CI: 33.518–993.407), respectively. In identifying MAFLD, TyG, TyG-BMI, TG, and TG/HDL-C were found to be the most vital indexes based on the random forest method, with the area under the curve (AUC) greater than 0.9. In addition, the combination of BMI, ALT, and TyG had a high diagnostic efficiency for MAFLD.

Conclusions

TyG and TG/HDL-C were potential risk factors for MAFLD, and the former performed better in diagnosing MAFLD. The combination of BMI, ALT, and TyG improved the diagnostic capability for MAFLD.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Extrahepatic Cancers: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now considered the main driver and leading cause of chronic liver disease globally. The umbrella term NAFLD describes a range of liver conditions closely related to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dyslipidemia. At the same time, several malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer, are considered to be common causes of death among patients with NAFLD. At first, our review herein aims to investigate the role of NAFLD in developing colorectal neoplasms and adenomatous polyps based on the current literature. We will also explore the connection and the missing links between NAFLD and extrahepatic cancers. Interestingly, any relationship between NAFLD and extrahepatic malignancies could be attributable to several shared metabolic risk factors. Overall, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and related disorders may increase the risk of developing cancer. Therefore, early diagnosis of NAFLD is essential for preventing the progression of the disease and avoiding its severe complications. In addition, cancer screening and early detection in these patients may improve survival and reduce any delays in treatment.