Volume 43, Issue 8 pp. 1691-1698
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease in relation to site-specific and multiple-site subclinical atherosclerosis

Xinyu Wang

Xinyu Wang

Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China

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Ruosu Zhang

Ruosu Zhang

Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China

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Sailimai Man

Sailimai 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

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Jun Lv

Jun 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

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Canqing Yu

Canqing 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

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Jianchun Yin

Jianchun Yin

MJ Health Care Group, Shanghai, China

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Xiaona Wang

Xiaona Wang

Beijing MJ Health Check-up Center, Beijing, China

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Yuhan Deng

Yuhan Deng

Meinian Institute of Health, Beijing, China

Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China

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Bo Wang

Corresponding 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]

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Liming Li

Liming 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

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Yuanjie Pang

Corresponding 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]

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First published: 20 June 2023
Citations: 1

Handling 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.

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