MASLD Is Associated With an Increased Long-Term Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Studies have reported an association between metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the magnitude of the risk and whether this risk varies with the severity of MASLD remains uncertain.

Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched three large electronic databases using predefined keywords to identify cohort studies (published up to 30 September 2024) in which MASLD was diagnosed by liver biopsy, imaging methods, International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes, or blood-based scores.

MARC1 downregulation reduces hepatocyte lipid content by increasing beta-oxidation.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a global epidemic. MASLD has a strong genetic component, and a common missense variant (rs2642438) in the mitochondrial amidoxime-reducing component 1 (MARC1) gene confers protection against its onset and severity. However, there are contrasting results regarding the mechanisms entangling this protection.

Noninvasive Assessment of portal Hypertension in Patients With Primary Biliary Cholangitis is Affected by Severity of Cholestasis.

Background & Aims: Noninvasive tests (NITs) for ruling-out clinical significant portal hypertension (CSPH) and high-risk varices (HRVs) in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) are lacking. We evaluated NITs in these patients and the influence of cholestasis on their performance.

Methods: Consecutive patients from the "Italian PBC registry" and 2 United Kingdom large-volume PBC referral centers with upper endoscopy within 6 months from biochemical evaluation and transient elastography were included.

Impact of PNPLA3 I148M on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With MASLD.

Background And Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a heterogenous clinical and histopathological entity, where multiple metabolic co-factors are intertwined with high interindividual variability. The impact and severity of each factor (including obesity and type 2 diabetes) define a systemic dysmetabolism that can lead to either advanced liver disease and its complication (including hepatocellular carcinoma and clinical events related to portal hypertension) or extrahepatic events: incident cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and extrahepatic cancers. The balance between environmental factors and genetic susceptibility has unique implications in MASLD: the intermittent injury of metabolic co-factors, their fluctuation over time and their specific management, are counterbalanced by the presence of gene variants that can significantly impact the disease at multiple levels.

Performance of ultrasound-guided attenuation parameter and 2D shear wave elastography in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Purpose: To assess the performance and the reproducibility of ultrasound-guided attenuation parameter (UGAP) and two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) in patients with biopsy-proven metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Methods: This study included consecutive adult patients with MASLD who underwent ultrasound with UGAP, 2D-SWE and percutaneous liver biopsy. The median values of 12 consecutive UGAP measurements were acquired by two independent radiologists (R1 and R2).

Derivation and validation of the BIMAST score for predicting the presence of fibrosis due to Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease among diabetic patients in the community.

Background & Aims: Current screening pathways, developed from tertiary care cohorts, underestimate the presence of Metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the community. We developed, validated, and assessed cost-effectiveness of a new score for screening the presence of fibrosis due to MASLD in primary care.

Methods: Consecutive T2DM patients underwent screening for liver diseases with transient elastography (TE).

What is the benefit of prophylaxis to prevent HBV reactivation in HBsAg-negative anti-HBc-positive patients? Meta-analysis and decision curve analysis.

Background And Aims: Patients with overt or occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection receiving immunosuppressive treatments have a wide risk of HBV reactivation (HBVr). We performed meta-analysis with decision curve analyses (DCA) to estimate the risk of HBVr in HBsAg-negative anti-HBc-positive patients naïve to nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) receiving immunosuppressive treatments.

Approach And Results: Studies were identified through literature search until October 2022.

Clinical outcomes of MAFLD versus NAFLD: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

Importance: The recent change in terminology from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) highlights the link between hepatic steatosis and metabolic dysfunction, taking out the stigmata of alcohol.

Objective: We compared the effects of NAFLD and MAFLD definitions on the risk of overall and cardiovascular (CV) mortality, liver-related events (LRE), nonfatal CV events (CVE), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and extra-hepatic cancers (EHC).

Data Sources And Study Selection: We systematically searched four large electronic databases for cohort studies (published through August 2023) that simultaneously used NAFLD and MAFLD definitions for examining the risk of mortality and adverse CV, renal, or oncological outcomes associated with both definitions.

Evaluation of ChatGPT as a Counselling Tool for Italian-Speaking MASLD Patients: Assessment of Accuracy, Completeness and Comprehensibility.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbots have shown promise in providing counseling to patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). While ChatGPT3.5 has demonstrated the ability to comprehensively answer MASLD-related questions in English, its accuracy remains suboptimal.

Diagnosis and non-invasive assessment of MASLD in type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is currently the most common chronic liver disease and an important cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. It is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Because of the huge number of patients at risk of MASLD, it is imperative to use non-invasive tests appropriately.

Attitude to Co-Administration of Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccines among Pregnant Women Exploring the Health Action Process Approach Model.

Respiratory tract diseases caused by influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 can represent a serious threat to the health of pregnant women. Immunological remodulation for fetus tolerance and physiological changes in the gestational chamber expose both mother and child to fearful complications and a high risk of hospitalization. Vaccines to protect pregnant women from influenza and COVID-19 are strongly recommended and vaccine co-administration could be advantageous to increase coverage of both vaccines.

Food Beliefs and the Risk of Orthorexia in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) believe that diet plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of their disease and the exacerbation of their symptoms. They often adopt restrictive diets that can lead to malnutrition, anxiety, and stress. Recent studies have found a correlation between IBD and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).

Are we ready for genetic testing in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease?

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), with its steadily increasing prevalence, represents now a major problem in public health. A proper referral could benefit from tools allowing more precise risk stratification. To this end, in recent decades, several genetic variants that may help predict and refine the risk of development and progression of MASLD have been investigated.

The PD-1/PD-L1 Axis in the Biology of MASLD.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver (MASL), previously named nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), is a multifactorial disease in which metabolic, genetic, and environmental risk factors play a predominant role. Obesity and type 2 diabetes act as triggers of the inflammatory response, which contributes to the progression of MASL to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. In the liver, several parenchymal, nonparenchymal, and immune cells maintain immunological homeostasis, and different regulatory pathways balance the activation of the innate and adaptative immune system.

Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography Scores to Predict Liver-Related Events in Steatotic Liver Disease.

Importance: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is currently the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. It is important to develop noninvasive tests to assess the disease severity and prognosis.

Objective: To study the prognostic implications of baseline levels and dynamic changes of the vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE)-based scores developed for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis (Agile 3+) and cirrhosis (Agile 4) in patients with MASLD.

Quantitative Evaluation by Digital Pathology of Immunohistochemical Expression of CK7, CK19, and EpCAM in Advanced Stages of NASH.

(1) Background: Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis/Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NASH/NAFLD) is the most recurrent chronic liver disease. NASH could present with a cholestatic (C) or hepatic (H) pattern of damage. Recently, we observed that increased Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) expression was the main immunohistochemical feature to distinguish C from H pattern in NASH.

Downregulation Increases Intracellular Lipids by Reducing Energy Utilization.

Background: ANGPTL3 (angiopoietin-like protein 3) is a circulating protein with a key role in maintaining lipoprotein homeostasis. A monoclonal antibody against ANGPTL3 is an approved and well-tolerated treatment to reduce lipoproteins in familial hypercholesterolemia homozygotes. However, the reduction of hepatic ANGPTL3 synthesis using an antisense oligonucleotide unexpectedly resulted in a dose-dependent increase in liver lipid content and circulating transaminases, resulting in the termination of the clinical trial.

Serum ferritin levels can predict long-term outcomes in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Objective: Hyperferritinaemia is associated with liver fibrosis severity in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), but the longitudinal implications have not been thoroughly investigated. We assessed the role of serum ferritin in predicting long-term outcomes or death.

Design: We evaluated the relationship between baseline serum ferritin and longitudinal events in a multicentre cohort of 1342 patients.