The Prevalence and Determinants of NAFLD and MAFLD and Their Severity in the VA Primary Care Setting
Publication Date
5-1-2023
Journal
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
DOI
10.1016/j.cgh.2022.05.046
PMID
35811043
PMCID
PMC9825675
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
5-1-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Humans, Female, Middle Aged, Male, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Prevalence, Cross-Sectional Studies, Risk Factors, Primary Health Care, fatty liver, obesity, Veterans, liver cancer
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: A recent panel of international experts proposed the disease acronym metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in lieu of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to estimate the burden of and risk factors for NAFLD and MAFLD, and to examine the concordance between definitions in a Veterans population.
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among randomly selected patients within primary care at the Houston Veterans Affairs (VA) facility. Participants completed a survey, provided blood, and underwent Fibroscan. In the absence of heavy alcohol, hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus, a controlled attenuation parameter median ≥290 dB/m was used to define NAFLD, whereas MAFLD was defined as controlled attenuation parameter median ≥290 dB/m and either body mass index ≥25 kg/m
RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 50.9 years, 55.4% were women, 42.8% were white, and 43.8% were Black. The prevalence of NAFLD was 40.6% (82/202). All 82 patients with NAFLD had a body mass index ≥25 kg/m
CONCLUSIONS: NAFLD was present in 40% of Veterans registered in primary care; 9.4% of veterans had at least moderate hepatic fibrosis, with most having concurrent NAFLD. There was perfect concordance between NAFLD and the alternative MAFLD definition.
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Digestive System Diseases Commons, Gastroenterology Commons, Hepatology Commons, Medical Sciences Commons, Oncology Commons
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