Association Between HLA Polymorphisms and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Hepatology
• Immunogenetics

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is linked to increased non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) risk.
• Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms may influence NAFLD and liver fibrosis development.
• Understanding these associations can improve patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between specific HLA alleles and imaging-defined hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis in RA patients.
• To identify genetic predispositions and risk factors for NAFLD and fibrosis in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• Observational study of 176 RA patients.
• Hepatic steatosis assessed by FibroScan (CAP ≥ 275 dB/m).
• Liver fibrosis assessed by FibroScan (LSM ≥ 8 kPa).
• 11 frequent HLA alleles genotyped.
• Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for BMI, triglycerides, and glucose.

Main Results:

• NAFLD/steatosis present in 35.2%; fibrosis in 10.8% of patients.
• No HLA allele showed significant association with steatosis or fibrosis after multiple testing correction.
• BMI and triglycerides were independent predictors of steatosis.
• HLA-DRB1*15 showed a trend for fibrosis association (OR ~2.6-2.9), but not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Metabolic factors, particularly BMI and triglycerides, are primary predictors of steatosis in RA patients.
• No robust association found between tested HLA markers and hepatic steatosis or fibrosis.
• The trend for HLA-DRB1*15 warrants further investigation in larger studies.