Increased serum miR-193a-5p during non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression: Diagnostic and mechanistic relevance

•Serum miRNA was sequenced in 183 NAFLD cases of varying severity and 10 population controls.•Plasma levels of miR-193a-5p were significantly increased in patients with advanced fibrosis, high NAS scores, or high SAF scores.•Other miRNAs including miR378d and miR378e were also significantly increased in certain comparisons.•The findings for miR-193a-5p were replicated in a cohort of 372 additional NAFLD cases.