Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in people living with HIV

Abstract

The prevalence of metabolic risk factors and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is high among people living with HIV (PLWH). Data on the recently proposed definition of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains unknown. A total of 282 PLWH were included in this cross-sectional cohort study. Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) was used to assess hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. MAFLD and its subgroups (overweight/obese, lean/normal weight, and type 2 diabetes) were defined according to a recently published international consensus statement. The majority of this cohort was male (n = 198, 70.2%), and the median age was 51.5 years. The median BMI was 25 kg/m2, and obesity was prevalent in 16.2% (n = 44). A total of 207 (73.4%) PLWH were classified as non-MAFLD while 75 (26.6%) qualified as MAFLD. The median CAP in the MAFLD group was 320 dB/m. PLWH with MAFLD showed a higher median LSM (p < 0.008) and were older (p < 0.005) compared to the non-MAFLD group. Overall, the metabolic risk profile was comparable between MAFLD and NAFLD. The majority of PLWH and MAFLD were overweight or obese (n = 58, 77.3%). The highest median LSM values were observed in the subgroup with MAFLD and type 2 diabetes. HIV-related parameters did not differ between non-MAFLD and MAFLD. The prevalence of MAFLD in PLWH is high and comparable to NAFLD. PLWH may be characterized according to the novel MAFLD criteria and its subgroups to identify patients at risk for chronic liver disease.