Long-term clinical outcomes in steatotic liver disease and incidence of liver-related events, cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality

Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2024 Jul;60(1):61-69. doi: 10.1111/apt.18015. Epub 2024 Apr 25.

Abstract

Background: A multi-society consensus group proposed a new nomenclature for steatotic liver disease (SLD) including metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), MASLD and increased alcohol intake (MetALD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). However, the risk of liver-related events, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality among various sub-groups is unknown.

Aims: To evaluate the risk of liver-related events, MACE and death among patients with SLD.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide, population-based study and enrolled 761,400 patients diagnosed with MASLD, MetALD or ALD. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of liver-related events, MACE and death in patients with MASLD, MetALD and ALD.

Results: The cumulative incidence of liver-related events and death were highest in ALD, followed by MetALD and MASLD (p < 0.001 for both liver-related events and death), while the incidence of MACE was highest in MASLD, followed by MetALD and ALD (p < 0.001). Using MASLD as the reference and adjusting for age, sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and hypertension, the adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for liver-related events, MACE and death in MetALD were 1.42 (1.1-1.8), 0.68 (0.63-0.73) and 1.13 (0.98-1.3), respectively. In ALD, they were 3.42 (2.6-4.6), 0.58 (0.49-0.67) and 1.60 (1.3-2.0), respectively, for liver-related events, MACE and death.

Conclusions: The new consensus nomenclature can be used to stratify the risk of complications and prognosis. The nomenclature is beneficial for risk stratification and identifying new mechanisms for disease-specific therapeutic implications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / etiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / mortality
  • Cause of Death
  • Fatty Liver* / complications
  • Fatty Liver* / epidemiology
  • Fatty Liver* / mortality
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors