Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease in relation to site-specific and multiple-site subclinical atherosclerosis
Xinyu Wang
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorRuosu Zhang
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorSailimai Man
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Meinian Institute of Health, Beijing, China
Peking University Health Science Center, Meinian Public Health Institute, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorJun Lv
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCanqing Yu
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorYuhan Deng
Meinian Institute of Health, Beijing, China
Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Bo Wang
Meinian Institute of Health, Beijing, China
Peking University Health Science Center, Meinian Public Health Institute, Beijing, China
Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
Correspondence
Dr. Yuanjie Pang, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Bo Wang, Meinian Public Health Institute, Health Science Center, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorLiming Li
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Yuanjie Pang
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
Correspondence
Dr. Yuanjie Pang, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Bo Wang, Meinian Public Health Institute, Health Science Center, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorXinyu Wang
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorRuosu Zhang
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorSailimai Man
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Meinian Institute of Health, Beijing, China
Peking University Health Science Center, Meinian Public Health Institute, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorJun Lv
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCanqing Yu
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorYuhan Deng
Meinian Institute of Health, Beijing, China
Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Bo Wang
Meinian Institute of Health, Beijing, China
Peking University Health Science Center, Meinian Public Health Institute, Beijing, China
Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
Correspondence
Dr. Yuanjie Pang, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Bo Wang, Meinian Public Health Institute, Health Science Center, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorLiming Li
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Yuanjie Pang
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
Correspondence
Dr. Yuanjie Pang, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Bo Wang, Meinian Public Health Institute, Health Science Center, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100191, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorHandling Editor: Luca Valenti
Abstract
Background & Aims
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the newly proposed metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) were each associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. However, there is limited evidence on risk of atherosclerosis in individuals who meet the criteria for one but not the other. We aimed to investigate the associations of MAFLD or NAFLD status with site-specific and multiple-site atherosclerosis.
Methods
This is a prospective cohort study involving 4524 adults within the MJ health check-up cohort. Logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) for subclinical atherosclerosis (elevated carotid intima-media thickness [CIMT], carotid plaque [CP], coronary artery calcification [CAC] and retinal atherosclerosis [RA]) associated with MAFLD or NAFLD status, MAFLD subtypes and fibrosis status.
Results
MAFLD was associated with higher risks of elevated CIMT, CP, CAC and RA (OR: 1.41 [95% CI 1.18–1.68], 1.23 [1.02–1.48], 1.60 [1.24–2.08], and 1.79 [1.28–2.52], respectively), whereas NAFLD per se did not increase risk of atherosclerosis except for elevated CIMT. Individuals who met both definitions or the definition for MAFLD but not NAFLD had higher risk of subclinical atherosclerosis. Among MAFLD subtypes, MAFLD with diabetes had the highest risk of subclinical atherosclerosis, but the associations did not differ by fibrosis status. Stronger positive associations were observed of MAFLD with multiple-site than single-site atherosclerosis.
Conclusions
In Chinese adults, MAFLD was associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, with stronger associations for multiple-site atherosclerosis. More attention should be paid to MAFLD with diabetes, and MAFLD might be a better predictor for atherosclerotic disease than NAFLD.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
Supporting Information
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Author names in bold designate shared co-first authorship.