Influence of metabolic associated fatty liver disease on the degree of carotid stenosis

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) on carotid stenosis. MethodsThis study was conducted among the patients who underwent abdominal ultrasound and cervical vascular ultrasound at the same time during hospitalization in Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2020, and baseline data and clinical diagnosis were collected. According to medical history, clinical tests, and imaging indicators, they were divided into MAFLD group with 469 patients and non-MAFLD group with 365 patients. Carotid artery were assessed as normal carotid artery, carotid stenosis ＜50%, and carotid stenosis ≥50% according to the degree of stenosis. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed quantitative data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of qualitative data between two groups. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the influencing factors carotid stenosis. ResultsCompared with the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with carotid stenosis ≥50% (10.66% vs 5.21%, χ2=8.050, P=0.005). The univariate logistic regression analysis showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in the proportion of male patients, smoking, MAFLD, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), administration of lipid-lowering drugs, systolic pressure, hypertension or medication, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). After adjustment for sex, smoking, HDL, BMI, history of hypertension or medication, type 2 diabetes, and AST, the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MAFLD was a risk factor for carotid stenosis (≥50%) (odds ratio=1.979, 95% confidence interval: 1.055-3.713, P=0.033). ConclusionMAFLD is an independent risk factor for carotid stenosis (≥50%).