Ideal cardiovascular health metrics and the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A cross-sectional study in northern China

Cardiovascular Health Trajectories and Prevalent Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Midlife: The CARDIA Study

BACKGROUND

Metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is associated with prevalent cardiovascular disease. More favorable cardiovascular health (CVH) profiles are associated with a lower prevalence of MASLD in cross-sectional studies. The relationship between long-term CVH patterns and MASLD prevalence in midlife remains unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Participants (aged 18-30 years at baseline) of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study who had individual CVH components measured at 7 examinations over 20 years and liver fat assessed by noncontrast computed tomography at year 25 follow-up were included. CVH score was defined using published American Heart Association definitions. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify CVH trajectories. MASLD was defined as liver attenuation of ≤51 Hounsfield units with at least 1 metabolic risk factor after excluding other causes of liver fat. Logistic regression was used to examine associations of CVH trajectory groups and MASLD prevalence. At baseline, 39% of 2529 participants had high and 5% had low CVH, respectively. MASLD prevalence at year 25 was 23% (n=587). Five distinct CVH trajectories were identified. Between the 2 groups that started at similar CVH scores, those whose CVH declined over time had a higher prevalence of MASLD at year 25 (7.0% in high-stable versus 23.0% high-decreasing; 24.4% in moderate-stable versus 35.7% in moderate-decreasing). Lower and decreasing trajectories were associated with higher year-25 MASLD prevalence compared with the high-stable trajectory.

CONCLUSIONS

Achieving and maintaining high CVH scores starting in young adulthood lowers the risk of prevalent MASLD in midlife.

Association between cardiovascular health and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a nationwide cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

Evidence concerning the effect of cardiovascular health (CVH) on the risk of metabolic dysfunctional-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the association between CVH and MASLD.

METHODS

5680 adults aged ≥ 20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-March 2020 were included. Life's essential 8 (LE8) was applied to assess CVH. Weighted binary logistic regression was employed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to investigate the association of CVH with MASLD. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was conducted to explore the dose-response association between LE8 and its subscales scores with MASLD.

RESULTS

Among 5680 participants, 724, 3901, and 1055 had low, moderate, and high CVH levels, respectively, with a MASLD diagnosis prevalence of 36.83%. In the fully adjusted logistic regression model, ORs for MASLD were 0.50 (95% CI, 0.37-0.69) for participants with moderate CVH and 0.21 (95% CI, 0.13-0.34) for those with high CVH, when compared to those with low CVH (P < 0.001 for trend). OR for MASLD was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.61-0.77) for each 10-point increase in LE8 score. RCS model demonstrated a non-linear dose-response relationship between LE8 score and health factors score with MASLD, while a linear relationship was found between health behaviors score and MASLD. Subgroup analysis showed a consistent negative correlation between LE8 score and MASLD, and sensitivity analysis validated the reliability of these findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher LE8 score was associated with a lower risk of MASLD. Encouraging adherence to optimal CVH levels may help mitigate the burden of MASLD.

Association between life's essential 8 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease among US adults

BACKGROUND

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease. Clinical evidences have demonstrated the link between MASLD and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. We aimed to investigate the relationship between Life's Essential 8 (LE8), an enhanced approach to assessing cardiovascular health(CVH), and MASLD.

METHODS

Data were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2017-2020 cycles. MASLD was assessed by the latest diagnostic criteria. LE8 scores (range 0-100) were obtained from measurements based on American Heart Association definitions, divided into health factor and health behavior scores. Multivariable logistic and restricted cubic spline models were used to assess the associations.

RESULTS

5646 participants were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 2616 (46.33%) participants were diagnosed with MASLD. After adjusting for confounding variables, higher LE8 scores were associated with a lower risk of MASLD (OR = 0.19, 95%CI 0.17-0.21; P < 0.001), similar associations were also observed between health behavior and health factor scores with MASLD. Subgroup analyses illustrated that the negative association between LE8 score and MASLD was stronger among younger, non - Hispanic White, and never married participants.

CONCLUSIONS

In this nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, LE8 scores, health behavior scores, and health factor scores were negatively associated with the prevalence of MASLD in non-linear fashions. Subjects maintaining ideal health factors and health behaviors are less likely to develop MASLD. Public health policies are needed to advocate healthy behaviors and factors.

Associations of life's essential 8 with MAFLD and liver fibrosis among US adults: a nationwide cross-section study

Background

Life's essential' 8 (LE8) is a newly updated cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics from the American Heart Association, with close relevance to metabolism. Our objective is to explore the association between LE8 scores and incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and advanced liver fibrosis in American adults.

Methods

This population-based cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2005 and 2018, encompassing adults aged 20 years or older. Validated non-invasive scoring systems were employed to define liver steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis. Multivariable logistic regression and smooth curve fitting techniques were applied to evaluate the associations. All analyses were adjusted for the survey' complex design parameters and accounted for sample weights.

Results

A total of 11,820 participants were included. A higher LE8 score was found to be inversely associated with the incidence of MAFLD and advanced liver fibrosis, with odds ratios (OR) of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.57-0.71) for MAFLD and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.61-0.92) for advanced liver fibrosis per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in LE8 score. Similar patterns were found in the relationship between health behaviors/factors score and incidence of MAFLD and advanced liver fibrosis. In subgroup analyses, the interaction test showed that age, education level, marital status, CVD, hypertension and diabetes had a significant impact on the association between LE8 score and MAFLD (all P for interaction < 0.05). Among male, elderly, wealthy, other race, CVD, diabetes and depression participants, the correlation between LE8 score and advanced liver fibrosis was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Younger participants exhibited a more pronounced negative association between the CVH metric and both MAFLD and advanced life fibrosis.

Conclusion

LE8 and its subscales score were inversely associated with the presence of MAFLD and advanced liver fibrosis in non-linear patterns. Optimal LE8 score may significantly reduce the risk of liver steatosis and fibrosis.

Association of life's essential 8 and risk of fragility fractures: A large cohort study

Cardiovascular health (CVH) score is not only associated with cardiovascular diseases, but also some disorders in other systems. This study aims to investigate the association between CVH score and the risk of fragility fractures. The analysis enrolled 89,464 participants at baseline in Kailuan study initiated in 2006-2007. All participants were then followed up every 2 years and the incidence of fragility fractures was recorded annually. A total CVH score was classified as low (0-49 points), moderate (50-79 points), and ideal (80-100 points). The primary outcome was incident fragility fractures before December 31, 2021. Kaplan-Meier was used to estimate cumulative incidence. Multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models and time-dependent Cox hazards regression models were used to estimate fragility fracture hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). After 13.98 ± 2.84 years of follow-up, a total of 1534 cases of fragility fractures were identified, with an incidence density of 1.23 per 1000 person-years. Compared with the low CVH group, the risk of fragility fractures was significantly lower in moderate (aHR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.66-0.92) and ideal CVH groups (aHR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.51-0.83), particularly in the age <60 group (aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.88; aHR= 0.55, 95% CI: 0.41-0.73, respectively). Time-dependent Cox hazards regression models, sensitivity analysis, and death competition model confirmed the reliability of these findings. The ideal CVH score is associated with a decreased risk of fragility fractures. With the increase of CVH score, the risk of fragility fracture decreases.

Association between updated cardiovascular health construct and risks of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The American Heart Association (AHA) updated the construct and algorithm of cardiovascular health (CVH) recently. We aimed to explore the relationship between the new CVH score and the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS AND RESULTS

3266 adults free of NAFLD identified via ultrasound were recruited in this prospective study. A modified AHA "Life's Essential 8" (mLE8, i.e., physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure) were collected to evaluate the CVH score. Then participants were categorized into low, moderate, and high CVH subgroups based on overall mLE8 CVH score. According to modified Life's Simple 7 (mLS7) CVH construct, participants were also subdivided into poor, intermediate, and ideal CVH subgroups. During a median 4.3 years follow-up, 623 incident cases of NAFLD were recorded. Compared to those with high CVH, participants with low CVH (adjusted OR = 2.56, 95% CI 1.55-4.24) and moderate CVH (adjusted OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.17-2.85) had a significantly increased risk of incident NAFLD. Participants with poor CVH (mLS7) but without low CVH (mLE8) did not show a significant elevated risk of incident NAFLD (P = 0.1053). A significant trend was found between increased changes in mLE8 score and a lower risk of NAFLD occurrence.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggested high mLE8 CVH score was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD incidence. The new CVH construct showed a more reasonable classification of CVH status and was more robust in association with NAFLD risks compared with the original one.

Sex and Age Differences in the Association Between Social Determinants of Health and Cardiovascular Health According to Household Income Among Mongolian Adults: Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Although social determinants of health (SDH) are an underlying cause of poor cardiovascular health (CVH), there is insufficient evidence for the association between SDH and CVH, which varies by sex and age among Mongolian adults.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore whether education, household income, and health insurance were associated with CVH according to sex and age among Mongolian adults.

METHODS

The final sample included data on 5691 participants (male: n=2521. 44.3% and female: n=3170, 55.7%) aged 18-69 years from the 2019 World Health Organization STEPwise approach to noncommunicable disease risk-factor surveillance. CVH was measured using a modified version of Life's Simple 7 with 4 health behaviors (cigarette smoking, BMI, physical activity, and a healthy diet) and 3 biological factors (blood pressure, fasting glucose, and total cholesterol blood levels) and classified into poor, intermediate, and ideal levels as recommended by the American Heart Association. Multinomial logistic regression analyses examined the associations between SDH and CVH by monthly equivalized household income after adjusting for age, sex, work status, area, history of myocardial infarction or stroke, use of aspirin, and use of statin. Subgroup analyses were conducted to examine the associations between SDH and CVH based on sex and age, considering monthly equivalized household income as a key variable.

RESULTS

Using the ideal level of CVH as a reference, among those with the lowest household income, having less than 12 years of education, and not having health insurance were associated with poor CVH (education level: odds ratio [OR] 2.42, 95% CI 1.30-4.51; P=.006; health insurance: OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.13-4.18; P=.02). These associations were more profound among female individuals (education level: OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.35-6.63; P=.007; health insurance: OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.09-5.90; P=.03) and those aged 18-44 years (education level: OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.54-6.72; P=.002; health insurance: OR 2.03, 95% CI 0.98-4.18; P=.06).

CONCLUSIONS

Participants in the lowest household income group with lower educational levels and without health insurance were more likely to have poor CVH, and these results were more pronounced in female individuals and young adults. These findings suggest the need to develop strategies for CVH equity in Mongolian female individuals and young adults that consider income levels, education levels, and health insurance.

Ideal cardiovascular health metrics and the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Korean adults

BACKGROUND

The association between cardiovascular risk factors and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is well established, but whether cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics is associated with NAFLD had not been fully studied. Thus, we examined the association between CVH metrics and NAFLD in the middle-aged Korean population.

METHODS

We used data of 2,928 (851 men and 2,077 women) participants aged 30-64 years from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center study. CVH metrics were measured using a modified version of Life's Simple 7 by the American Heart Association. NAFLD diagnosis was based on the fatty liver index or liver-to-spleen ratio on computed tomography. A multiple logistic regression model was used to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between CVH metrics and NAFLD.

RESULTS

In the cross-sectional analysis, the odds ratio for NAFLD was lower in participants with ideal CVH (odds ratio [OR], 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.18), while it was higher in individuals with poor CVH (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 2.13-3.86). Similarly, the risk of new-onset NAFLD was lower in participants with ideal CVH (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.11-0.74), and higher in individuals with poor CVH (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 0.50-9.72) in the longitudinal analysis of a subgroup.

CONCLUSIONS

Ideal CVH was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD while poor CVH was associated with a higher risk of NAFLD. These findings suggest that making efforts to encourage people to manage their CVH to the ideal level may prevent and manage NAFLD.

Associations between life's essential 8 and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among US adults

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely associated with Cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aim to examine the association of Life's Essential 8 (LE8), the recently updated measurement of cardiovascular health (CVH), with the presence of NAFLD among US adults.

METHODS

This population-based cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2017-2018 and included adults 20 years or older. LE8 score (range 0-100) was measured according to American Heart Association definitions and was categorized into low (0-49), moderate (50-79), and high (80-100) CVH. NAFLD was determined by transient elastography measured hepatic steatosis in the absence of other liver diseases and excess alcohol use. Multivariable logistic and restricted cubic spline models were used to assess the associations.

RESULTS

Among 3588 participants included (weighted mean age, 48.0 years; 95% confidence interval [CI] 46.4-49.7 years), 1839 were female (weighted percentage, 51.6%; 95% CI 49.0-54.2%) and 1483 were determined to have NAFLD (weighted percentage, 36.5%; 95% CI 33.3-39.7%). The weighted mean LE8 score of the study population was 67.9 (95% CI 66.6-69.2). After the adjustment of potential confounders, higher LE8 scores were associated with reduced odds of NAFLD (odds ratio [OR] for per 10 score increase, 0.67; 95% CI 0.59-0.76) and a nonlinear dose-response relationship was observed. Similar patterns were also identified in the association of health behavior and health factor scores with NAFLD. The inversed association of LE8 score and NAFLD was significantly stronger among younger, Asian, and participants with higher education and income level.

CONCLUSIONS

LE8 and its subscales scores were negatively associated with the presence of NAFLD in non-linear fashions. Promoting adherence to optimal CVH levels may be beneficial to reduce the burden of NAFLD as well as CVD.

Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics Are Associated with Reduced Severity of Hepatic Steatosis and Liver Fibrosis Detected by Transient Elastography

Life's Simple 7 (LS7) is the American Heart Association's (AHA) proposal for a healthy lifestyle, also known as cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics. However, the association between CVH metrics and the severity of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis detected by transient elastography is unknown. We performed a cross-sectional study using the data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycle. The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were used to evaluate the severity of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis and to define NAFLD, advanced liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis. A total of 2679 participants were included. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that per 1-unit increase in the CVH metric, CAP and LSM decreased by 8.565 units and 0.274 units, respectively. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the risk of NAFLD, advanced liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis were 7, 10, and 6 times higher in the poor CVH group than in the ideal CVH group. Subgroup analysis indicated that CVD patients and non-Hispanic whites could benefit more from ideal CVH. In conclusion, adherence to ideal CVH metrics, as proposed by the AHA, can significantly reduce the risk of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis.

2019 Global NAFLD Prevalence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The increasing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus may lead to increased prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to determine the current and recent trends on the global and regional prevalence of NAFLD.

METHODS

Systematic search from inception to March 26, 2020 was performed without language restrictions. Two authors independently performed screening and data extraction. We performed meta-regression to determine trends in NAFLD prevalence.

RESULTS

We identified 17,244 articles from literature search and included 245 eligible studies involving 5,399,254 individuals. The pooled global prevalence of NAFLD was 29.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 28.6%-31.1%); of these, 82.5% of included articles used ultrasound to diagnose NAFLD, with prevalence of 30.6% (95% CI, 29.2%-32.0%). South America (3 studies, 5716 individuals) and North America (4 studies, 18,236 individuals) had the highest NAFLD prevalence at 35.7% (95% CI, 34.0%-37.5%) and 35.3% (95% CI, 25.4%-45.9%), respectively. From 1991 to 2019, trend analysis showed NAFLD increased from 21.9% to 37.3% (yearly increase of 0.7%, P < .0001), with South America showing the most rapid change of 2.7% per year, followed by Europe at 1.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite regional variation, the global prevalence of NAFLD is increasing overall. Policy makers must work toward reversing the current trends by increasing awareness of NAFLD and promoting healthy lifestyle environments.

Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics and Risk of Incident Early-Onset Vasomotor Symptoms Among Premenopausal Women

CONTEXT

The relationship of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) behaviors with preventing early-onset vasomotor symptoms (VMSs) is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the association between CVH metrics and the development of early-onset VMSs in premenopausal women.

METHODS

This cohort study included 2541 premenopausal women aged 42 to 52 years without VMSs at baseline. CVH metrics were defined according to the American Heart Association Life Simple 7 metrics. Owing to limited availability of dietary information, CVH metrics were scored from 0 (unhealthy) to 6 (healthy) and classified into 3 groups: poor (0-2), intermediate (3-4), and ideal (5-6) CVH. VMSs, including hot flashes and night sweats, were assessed using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. Moderate/severe VMSs was defined as a score of 3 or more points (range, 0 to 6; 6 being most bothersome).

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 4.5 years, 1241 women developed VMSs before menopause. After adjustment for age, parity, education level, and alcohol consumption, the hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) for developing early-onset VMSs comparing poor CVH group to the ideal group was 1.41 (1.07-1.86). CVH scores were also inversely associated with moderate/severe VMSs in a dose-response manner (P for trend = .004); specifically, multivariable-adjusted HRs comparing intermediate and poor CVH groups to the ideal group were 1.20 (95% CI, 1.02-1.43) and 1.57 (95% CI, 1.08-2.29), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Unfavorable CVH metrics were significantly associated with an increased risk of early-onset VMSs and its more severe forms among premenopausal women.

Interaction between the HIF-1α gene rs1957757 polymorphism and CpG island methylation in the promoter region is associated with the risk of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury in humans: A case-control study

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

HIF-1α gene polymorphisms, including rs11549465, rs11549467, rs1957757 and rs10873142, cause liver cell damage or pulmonary disease. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between the polymorphisms of the loci of the HIF-1α gene and its CpG island methylation in the promoter region with the risk of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (ADLI).

METHODS

286 patients with tuberculosis (TB) and ADLI (case group) and 286 patients with TB but without liver injury (control group) were matched one-to-one, among the 1728 TB patients recruited from July 2019 to July 2020. Genotyping of the four loci of the HIF-1α gene was confirmed using PCR-RFLP technology. Methylation of the HIF-1α gene was measured using the MSP method. The comparison of risk factors, HIF-1α genotype and methylation status between the case group and the control group was all achieved through univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Univariate analysis showed that the frequency of rs1957757 mutation genotype and CpG island methylation was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (P<0.001, all). In contrast, there was no statistical difference in the frequency of mutated genotypes at the other three loci between the two groups (p = 0.21, p = 0.12 and p = 0.55, respectively). Further, multivariate analysis showed that CpG islands were methylated, the mutation genotype of the rs1957757 locus was independently associated with the high risk of ADLI, and the adjusted OR (95%CI) reached 1.92 (1.32-2.63) and 2.01 (1.32-2.83), respectively. Furthermore, taking the rs1957757 locus wild genotype and CpG islands without methylation as the reference group, the mutation genotype and CpG island methylation increased the risk of ADLI, and the probability of ADLI could reach 4.73 times that of the reference group.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

This is the first demonstration of the association of HIF-1α gene polymorphism and CpG island methylation with ADLI risk stratification. The interaction between CpG islands methylated in the promoter region of the HIF-1α gene and its rs1957757 locus mutant genotype was associated with a higher risk of ADLI.

Associations Between Abdominal Obesity Indices and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver metabolic disease worldwide. Up to 70%-80% of patients with NAFLD were obese, especially abdominal obesity. Many indicators of abdominal obesity have been reported, including waist circumference (WC), visceral obesity index (VAI), lipid accumulation (LAP), and Chinese VAI (CVAI). However, few studies investigated the associations between these indices with NAFLD. This present study aims to explore the associations between abdominal obesity indices with NAFLD. A total of 7,238 participants were involved in the cross-sectional study, and 1,584 participants were included in the longitudinal study from Jidong communities. NAFLD was assessed by abdominal ultrasonography. The trajectory of WC, VAI, LAP, and CVAI during 2013-2016 was identified by a group-based trajectory model. The logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models analyzed the correlations and causality between abdominal obesity indices with NAFLD. In this study, the prevalence and incidence of NAFLD are approximately 44% and 26%, respectively. In the cross-sectional study, WC, VAI, LAP, and CVAI are associated with NAFLD. After adjustment for potential confounders, the moderate-rising and high-rising groups of CVAI had the highest risk of NAFLD in longitudinal analysis (hazard ratio (HR): 3.903, 95%CI: 2.434-6.259; HR: 5.694 95%CI: 3.098-10.464, respectively). Receiving operating characteristic curves show that CVAI has the best diagnostic value for NAFLD (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.868). CVAI is independently associated with the risk of NAFLD and may also have an important value to the diagnosis of NAFLD.

Relationship between AGT rs2493132 polymorphism and the risk of coronary artery disease in patients with NAFLD in the Chinese Han population

Objective

To investigate the relationship between angiotensin (AGT) rs2493132 gene polymorphism and the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) in the Chinese Han population.

Methods

Polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine AGT genotypes. Anthropometric and clinical data were investigated and statistically analyzed in the clinical laboratory department of Qingdao Municipal Hospital.

Results

The AGT rs2493132 CT + TT genotype was an important risk factor for CAD in patients with NAFLD and NAFLD + CAD in healthy controls. The AGT rs2493132 T allele increased the risk of NAFLD + CAD in healthy controls. The AGT rs2493132 CT + TT genotype and T allele also significantly increased the risk of CAD in patients with NAFLD after adjustments for age, sex, and body mass index. In addition, AGT rs2493132 T allele carriers showed higher total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels compared with non-carriers.

Conclusions

The AGT rs2493132 CT + TT genotype and T allele significantly increased the risk of developing CAD in patients with NAFLD in the Chinese Han population. The AGT rs2493132 T allele was associated with increased serum TC and LDL levels.

Life's Simple 7 and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

The American Heart Association (AHA) has defined Life's Simple 7 (LS7) as a measure of overall cardiovascular health . Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been involved as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the association between LS7 and NAFLD.

METHODS

We evaluated participants form the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort. Cardiovascular health score was calculated from the Life's Simple 7 metrics. A score of 0-8 was considered inadequate, 9-10 average, and 11-14 optimal. NAFLD was defined using noncontrast cardiac computed tomography (CT) and a liver/spleen attenuation ratio (L/S) < 1. Multivariable regression were performed to evaluate the association.

RESULTS

Our cross-sectional analysis of 3901 participants showed 19% (n = 747) had optimal cardiovascular health, 33% (n = 1270) had average, and 48% (n = 1884) had inadequate. White participants were most likely to have an optimal score (51%, n = 378), whereas African American participants had the lowest proportion with optimal scores (16%, n = 120; P < 0.001). The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 18% with a distribution of 7%, 14%, and 25% in the optimal, average, and inadequate score categories, respectively (P < 0.001). Adjusted for risk factors, average and optimal health categories had lower odds of NAFLD compared to those with inadequate scores: odds ratio for average, 0.44 (95% confidence interval 0.36-0.54); optimal, odds ratio 0.19 (95% confidence interval 0.14-0.26). This association was similar across gender, race and age groups.

CONCLUSION

A more favorable cardiovascular health score was associated with a lower prevalence of NAFLD. This study may suggest a potential of Life's Simple 7 in the prevention of liver disease.

Adherence to Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics Is Associated With Reduced Odds of Hepatic Steatosis

The American Heart Association (AHA) introduced Life's Simple 7 as a metric to define ideal cardiovascular health. We examined the association between cardiovascular health score (CHS) and prevalent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among Framingham Heart Study participants with varying genetic risk of NAFLD. Framingham Heart Study participants who underwent abdominal computed tomography scans were included (n = 2,773). We defined hepatic steatosis as the mean Hounsfield unit attenuation of the liver compared to a phantom control. We calculated CHS based on adherence to metrics from the AHA's Life's Simple 7 guidelines, including blood sugar, total cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), time spent on physical activity per week, and smoking status. We used multivariable-adjusted regression models to evaluate the association between CHS and hepatic steatosis, accounting for covariates and stratifying by NAFLD genetic risk. Overall, 12% of the sample achieved 0-1 goals and 25%, 27%, 21%, 13%, and 2.6% achieved 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 goals, respectively. For each 1-unit increase in CHS, there was a decrease in the odds ratio (OR) of prevalent hepatic steatosis (OR, 0.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.59). Individually, BMI had the strongest association with NAFLD. Participants with high or intermediate genetic risk of NAFLD demonstrated higher relative decreases in hepatic steatosis with increased CHS compared to those at low genetic risk. Conclusion: Adhering to the AHA Life's Simple 7 metrics was associated with reduced odds of prevalent NAFLD, particularly for those at high genetic risk. Additional longitudinal studies are needed.

Relationships between menstrual status and obesity phenotypes in women: a cross-sectional study in northern China

BACKGROUND

One of most important concerns of postmenopausal women is obesity. The relationships between menstruation status and obesity phenotypes are unclear. This study aimed to assess the associations between menstrual status and different obesity phenotypes in women.

METHODS

In total, 5373 women aged ≥40 years were recruited from the Jidong and Kailuan communities. Basic information was collected via clinical examination, laboratory testing and standardized questionnaires. The women were stratified into the following three groups: menstrual period, menopausal transition period and postmenopausal period. General obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of ≥28 kg/m². Central obesity was defined as a waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) of > 0.85. Visceral obesity was defined as the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and increased pericardial fat volume (PFV).

RESULTS

The numbers of women in the menstrual, menopausal transition, and postmenopausal periods were 2807 (52.2%), 675 (12.6%) and 1891 (35.2%), respectively. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for central obesity among women in the menopausal transition and postmenopausal periods compared with women in the menstrual period were 0.99 (0.82-1.19) and 1.52 (1.26-1.84), respectively. The OR for NAFLD among postmenopausal women was 1.78 (1.44-2.20). The adjusted β-coefficient (standard error, SE) for PFV among postmenopausal women was 41.25 (7.49). The adjusted OR for general obesity among postmenopausal women was 1.01 (0.77-1.34).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that menopause is an independent risk factor for central and visceral obesity but not general obesity.