MAFLD as a Cardiovascular Risk Factor: An Extended Retrospective Study with a Control Group

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Cardiology
• Hepatology

Background:

• Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disorder globally, affecting 25-30% of the population.
• MAFLD is strongly linked to metabolic dysfunction, overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
• The 2020 redefinition of fatty liver disease to MAFLD emphasizes its cardiometabolic implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between MAFLD and cardiovascular risk factors in a geriatric population.
• To compare cardiovascular risk profiles of patients with and without MAFLD.
• To evaluate the influence of metabolic and echocardiographic parameters on MAFLD prevalence in the elderly.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 237 MAFLD patients and 148 controls from a university hospital's Geriatrics Department.
• Comparison of comorbidities, laboratory values, BMI, and left ventricular hypertrophy between groups.
• Statistical analysis to determine the association between selected variables and MAFLD risk.

Main Results:

• MAFLD patients exhibited significantly higher body weight and BMI compared to controls.
• Higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia, and lower HDL and vitamin D3 levels were observed in the MAFLD group.
• Elevated echocardiographic indicators of left ventricular hypertrophy were significantly higher in MAFLD patients.

Conclusions:

• MAFLD is strongly associated with cardiovascular risk factors in elderly patients.
• The study supports MAFLD's role as an independent cardiometabolic risk indicator in geriatric care.
• The use of a control group enhanced the precision of MAFLD's risk evaluation.