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.

Outdoor light at night in relation to glucose homoeostasis and diabetes in Chinese adults: a national and cross-sectional study of 98,658 participants from 162 study sites.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Exposure to artificial light at night (LAN) disrupts the circadian timing system and might be a risk factor for diabetes. Our aim was to estimate the associations of chronic exposure to outdoor LAN with glucose homoeostasis markers and diabetes prevalence based on a national and cross-sectional survey of the general population in China. METHODS: The China Noncommunicable Disease Surveillance Study was a nationally representative study of 98,658 participants aged ≥18 years who had been living in their current residence for at least 6 months recruited from 162 study sites across mainland China in 2010. Diabetes was defined according to ADA criteria. Outdoor LAN exposure in 2010 was estimated from satellite data and the participants attending each study site were assigned the same mean radiance of the outdoor LAN at the study site. The linear regression incorporating a restricted cubic spline function was used to explore the relationships between LAN exposure and markers of glucose homoeostasis. Cox regression with a constant for the time variable assigned to all individuals and with robust variance estimates was used to assess the associations between the levels of outdoor LAN exposure and the presence of diabetes by calculating the prevalence ratios (PRs) with adjustment for age, sex, education, smoking status, drinking status, physical activity, family history of diabetes, household income, urban/rural areas, taking antihypertensive medications, taking lipid-lowering medications, and BMI. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 42.7 years and 53,515 (weighted proportion 49.2%) participants were women. Outdoor LAN exposure levels were positively associated with HbA1c, fasting and 2 h glucose concentrations and HOMA-IR and negatively associated with HOMA-B. Diabetes prevalence was significantly associated with per-quintile LAN exposure (PR 1.07 [95% CI 1.02, 1.12]). The highest quintile of LAN exposure (median 69.1 nW cm-2 sr-1) was significantly associated with an increased prevalence of diabetes (PR 1.28 [95% CI 1.03, 1.60]) compared with the lowest quintile of exposure (median 1.0 nW cm-2 sr-1). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: There were significant associations between chronic exposure to higher intensity of outdoor LAN with increased risk of impaired glucose homoeostasis and diabetes prevalence. Our findings contribute to the growing evidence that LAN is detrimental to health and point to outdoor LAN as a potential novel risk factor for diabetes.

Age-specific difference in the association between prediabetes and subclinical atherosclerosis: an analysis of a chinese prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Prediabetes is an important risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. However, the evidence of prediabetes as a cardiovascular risk factor is mainly derived from middle-aged adults. Recently, multiple studies supported that prediabetes in older adults would not lead to higher risk of CVD or mortality. We aimed to investigate the age-specific difference in the association between prediabetes and subclinical atherosclerosis in a Chinese prospective cohort study. METHODS: We included 4739 individuals aged ≥ 40 years and without diagnosed diabetes or CVD history, and divided them into middle-aged adults (age < 60) and older adults (age ≥ 60). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h post-load plasma glucose (2 h-PPG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured at baseline to identify prediabetes status. At follow-up visits, subclinical atherosclerosis status was assessed by branchial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Logistic regression analysis, restricted cubic splines and cross-lagged path analysis were used in statistical analysis. RESULTS: 1634 participants aged over 60 years, and 64.3% of them had prediabetes. 3105 participants aged 40-59 years, and 49.3% of them had prediabetes. We found that prediabetes was associated with increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-aged adults, but the association attenuated substantially in older adults. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), compared to normal glucose tolerance, was associated with 39% lower risk of increased baPWV only in older adults. In accordance, the association between 2 h-PPG and risk of increased baPWV was "U-shaped" in older adults, while risk of elevated baPWV increased linearly with 2 h-PPG in middle-aged adults. In the cross-lagged analysis, increase in FPG and 2 h-PPG tended not to precede increase in baPWV in older adults, but appeared to increase simultaneously with baPWV in middle-aged ones. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that prediabetes might be less related to subclinical atherosclerosis in older adults than in middle-aged adults and suggested that age was important to consider in the care of adults with prediabetes.

Isotemporal substitution of different behaviour patterns with the presence of MAFLD in Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND: Lack of physical activity and excessive sitting time contributed to ectopic fat accumulation, especially in the liver. Previous studies have illustrated the harm of sedentary behaviour and the benefits of physical activity on fatty liver disease. We aimed to explore the association between the behaviour patterns and the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) using isotemporal substitution model to examine the effect of replacing one behaviour to another while keeping the total time and other behaviours fixed among Chinese middle-aged and elderly population. METHODS: This study included 161 147 participants aged ≥40 years old from the nationwide, population-based cohort of the REACTION study. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to measure self-reported time for sleeping, sitting, walking and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). MAFLD was defined by evidence of fatty liver index (FLI) ≥ 60 in addition to one of the following three patterns, namely overweight/obesity, presence of diabetes, or evidence of metabolic dysregulation. Isotemporal substitution models using logistic regression models to evaluate the association of replacement of different behaviour patterns with each other and the risk of MAFLD. RESULTS: Substitution of 60 minutes per day of sleeping, walking or total MVPA for sitting was associated with a 2%-8% reduction of MAFLD risk in overall participants. In employed individuals, replacing sitting time with occupational MVPA or nonoccupational MVPA both could bring benefits to liver steatosis. Stratified analysis found that replacing 60 minutes of sitting time with an equivalent time of other behaviour pattern could reduce approximately 8% of the risk among MAFLD participants with metabolic abnormalities. Such a relationship might be explained by the important mediated role of metabolic elements, such as waist circumference, body mass index, triglycerides and homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Furthermore, replacing sitting with MVPA showed a stronger association among participants who got enough sleep (sleep duration ≥7 hours per day). CONCLUSION: Replacing sitting with other behaviour patterns could reduce the prevalence of MAFLD, and such substitution effect was much remarkably in individuals with abnormal metabolic status. Observably, obese individuals were more likely to benefit from appropriate changes in behaviour patterns. Moreover, the analysis of sleep duration stratification appealed that the adequacy of individual sleep duration also had a significant impact on the substitution effect. It is worth noting that adjusting the time allocation of behaviour patterns might have a beneficial impact on liver-metabolic health, and these findings might help us better recognize the importance of reasonable arrangement of behaviour patterns according to the individual's situation.

The association of low-grade albuminuria with incident non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis by glycaemia status.

BACKGROUND & AIM: Low-grade albuminuria, as an early marker of endothelial dysfunction and kidney damage, has been recognized as a risk factor for metabolic disorders. Epidemiological studies manifesting the association of low-grade albuminuria with the risk of incident NAFLD and fibrosis were not available. We aimed to investigate the association of low-grade albuminuria with incident NAFLD and fibrosis by glycaemia status. METHODS: A prospective population-based study was performed in 3308 participants without NAFLD at recruitment. Baseline urinary albumin excretion was obtained by a first-voided early morning spot urine sample. At follow-up visit, incident NAFLD was diagnosed by hepatic ultrasound after excluding alcohol abuse and other cause of hepatic diseases. Fatty liver index (FLI) was employed to reflect liver fat content. Liver fibrosis was evaluated by NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) and Hepamet fibrosis score (HFS) respectively. RESULTS: After 4.3 years of follow-up, 622 (18.8%) were detected as incident NAFLD. Participants with low-grade albuminuria imposed a 40.4% [1.404 (1.112-1.772)] greater risk on incident NAFLD, and 52.0% [1.520 (1.141-2.026)], 87.4% [1.874 (1.291-2.720)] and 40.4% [1.404 (1.038-1.898)] higher risks on newly onset higher values of FLI, NFS and FIB-4 respectively. The effect of low-grade albuminuria was stronger in the subgroup of non-diabetic population. CONCLUSIONS: Low-grade albuminuria was independently associated with incident NAFLD and a higher probability of fibrosis, especially among non-diabetic individuals.

Discordance between the triglyceride glucose index and HOMA-IR in incident albuminuria: a cohort study from China.

BACKGROUND: To date, there have no study comparing the associations between TyG index and HOMA-IR on the risk of incident albuminuria. Accordingly, the objective of the present study is to use discordance analysis to evaluate the diverse associations between TyG index and HOMA-IR on the risk of incident albuminuria. METHODS: A community-based prospective cohort study was performed with 2446 Chinese adults. We categorized participants into 4 concordance or discordance groups. Discordance was defined as a TyG index equal to or greater than the upper quartile and HOMA-IR less than the upper quartile, or vice versa. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 3.9 years, 203 of 2446 participants developed incident albuminuria (8.3%). In the multivariable logistic analyses, the high TyG index tertile group was associated with a 1.71-fold (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-2.72) higher risk of incident albuminuria, comparing with the low tertile group. Participants in TyG (+) & HOMA-IR (-) group had a greater risk of incident albuminuria compared with those in TyG (-) & HOMA-IR (-) group after multivariate adjustment. Subgroup analyses showed that low HOMA-IR and discordantly high TyG index was closely related to a highest risk of incident albuminuria in cardiovascular metabolic disorder subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Participants with a discordantly high TyG index had a significantly greater risk of incident albuminuria, especially in metabolic dysfunction subjects. The TyG index might be a better predictor of early stage of chronic kidney disease than HOMA-IR for subjects with metabolic abnormality.

Associations of subclinical atherosclerosis with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and fibrosis assessed by non-invasive score.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been considered as a risk factor of adverse cardiovascular prognosis, but the relationship between subclinical atherosclerosis and NAFLD remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the impact of subclinical atherosclerosis on incident NAFLD and liver fibrosis. METHODS: We included 3433 subjects aged ≥40 years and free of NAFLD. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were measured at baseline to assess subclinical atherosclerosis status. At follow-up visit, NAFLD was diagnosed by hepatic ultrasound and fibrosis was assessed by NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI). RESULTS: A total of 654 (19.1%) subjects developed NAFLD during the follow-up period of 4.3 years. In the multivariate logistic regression models, each standard deviation (SD) increment of ba-PWV was associated with 20% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.33), 22% (95% CI 1.08-1.39), 17% (95% CI 1.04-1.32) and 37% (95% CI 1.07-1.75) higher risk of incident NAFLD, higher NFS, FIB-4 and APRI respectively. Compared with the lowest quartile of ba-PWV, the highest quartile ba-PWV had 63% (95% CI 1.20-2.22), 112% (95% CI 1.42-3.17), 86% (95% CI 1.28-2.69) and 201% (95% CI 1.29-7.04) higher risk of incident NAFLD, higher NFS, FIB-4 and APRI respectively. Besides, per SD increase of CIMT was associated with a 12% (95% CI 1.01-1.24) higher risk of incident NAFLD. CONCLUSIONS: Increased ba-PWV was independently associated with incident NAFLD and higher probability of fibrosis, whereas CIMT was associated with incident NAFLD but not with fibrosis.

Age-specific difference in the temporal relationships between updated cardiovascular health construct and arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults.

Previous studies have found that the association between modifiable risk factors and arterial stiffness varied with age. We aimed to explore the age-specific difference in the relationship between new cardiovascular health (CVH) score and arterial stiffness and further detected the age-specific temporal relationships in a prospective cohort study. During a median 4.3 years follow-up, 3757 participants were recruited in this study. A modified AHA "Life's Essential 8" construct (mLE8 with lacking information on diet habits) was used to evaluate CVH. Branchial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured to assess arterial stiffness. Data were analyzed with logistic regression models, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and cross-lagged path analysis (age < 60 vs. age ≥ 60). In age-stratified analysis, moderate (OR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.11-4.43) and low (OR = 3.37, 95% CI 1.63-7.00) CVH were related with a higher incidence of elevated baPWV compared to high CVH in middle-aged adults, while this association was not detected in older adults. RCS curve showed a steeper linear association between CVH score and elevated baPWV in middle-aged adults than older individuals. In the cross-lagged path analysis, the decline in CVH score preceded the increment in arterial stiffness in middle-aged adults, but they appeared to alter simultaneously in older adults. Our study detected an age-specific difference in the relationship between mLE8 CVH score and elevated baPWV and showed that low CVH preceded alterations of baPWV in middle-aged adults, suggesting the importance of improvement in CVH during the early stage of the lifespan.

Effect of 5:2 Regimens: Energy-Restricted Diet or Low-Volume High-Intensity Interval Training Combined With Resistance Exercise on Glycemic Control and Cardiometabolic Health in Adults With Overweight/Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the effects of a 5:2 diet (2 days per week of energy restriction by formula diet) or an exercise (2 days per week of high-intensity interval training and resistance training) intervention compared with routine lifestyle education (control) on glycemic control and cardiometabolic health among adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This two-center, open-label, three-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial recruited 326 participants with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes and randomized them into 12 weeks of diet intervention (n = 109), exercise intervention (n = 108), or lifestyle education (control) (n = 109). The primary outcome was the change of glycemic control measured as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) between the diet or exercise intervention groups and the control group after the 12-week intervention. RESULTS: The diet intervention significantly reduced HbA1c level (%) after the 12-week intervention (-0.72, 95% CI -0.95 to -0.48) compared with the control group (-0.37, 95% CI -0.60 to -0.15) (diet vs. control -0.34, 95% CI -0.58 to -0.11, P = 0.007). The reduction in HbA1c level in the exercise intervention group (-0.46, 95% CI -0.70 to -0.23) did not significantly differ from the control group (exercise vs. control -0.09, 95% CI -0.32 to 0.15, P = 0.47). The exercise intervention group was superior in maintaining lean body mass. Both diet and exercise interventions induced improvements in adiposity and hepatic steatosis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the medically supervised 5:2 energy-restricted diet could provide an alternative strategy for improving glycemic control and that the exercise regimen could improve body composition, although it inadequately improved glycemic control.

Risk of subclinical atherosclerosis across metabolic transition in individuals with or without fatty liver disease: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic dysfunction is a major determinant in the progression of fatty liver disease. It is pivotal to evaluate the metabolic status and subsequent transition in fatty liver population and to identify the risk of subclinical atherosclerosis. METHODS: The prospective cohort study included 6260 Chinese community residents during 2010-2015. Fatty liver was determined as hepatic steatosis (HS) by ultrasonography. Metabolic unhealthy (MU) status was defined as having diabetes and/or ≥ 2 metabolic risk factors. Participants were categorized into 4 groups according to the combination of metabolic healthy (MH)/MU and fatty liver status (MHNHS, MUNHS, MHHS and MUHS). Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, pulse pressure and/or albuminuria. RESULTS: 31.3% of the participants had fatty liver disease and 76.9% were in MU status. During a 4.3-year follow-up, 24.2% of participants developed composite subclinical atherosclerosis. Multivariable adjusted odds ratios for composite subclinical atherosclerosis risk were (1.66 [1.30-2.13]) in MUNHS group and (2.57 [1.90-3.48]) in MUHS group. It seemed that participants with fatty liver disease were more prone to be remained in MU status (90.7% vs.50.8%) and less likely to regress to MH status (4.0% vs. 8.9%). Fatty liver participants progressed to (3.11 [1.23-7.92]) or maintained MU status (4.87 [3.25-7.31]) significantly impelled the development of the composite risk, while regressing to MH status (0.15 [0.04-0.64]) were more intended to mitigate the risk. CONCLUSIONS: The current study emphasized the importance of assessing metabolic status and its dynamic changes, especially in the fatty liver population. Regressing from MU to MH status not only benefited the systematic metabolic profile but also ameliorated future cardiometabolic complications.

Sex- and age-specific association between outdoor light at night and obesity in Chinese adults: A national cross-sectional study of 98,658 participants from 162 study sites.

Background: Exposure to light at night (LAN) is a potent disruptor of the circadian system. Whether LAN exposure exerts a sex- or age-specific influence on obesity needs investigation. Objectives: To estimate the sex- and age-specific associations of exposure to outdoor LAN and obesity based on a national and cross-sectional survey. Methods: The study included a nationally representative sample of 98,658 adults aged ≥ 18 years who had lived in their current residence for ≥ 6 months from 162 study sites across mainland China in 2010. Outdoor LAN exposure was estimated from satellite imaging data. General obesity was defined as body-mass index (BMI) ≥ 28 kg/m2 and central obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥ 90 cm in men and ≥ 85 cm in women. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between LAN exposure and prevalent obesity in sex and age categories. Results: A monotonically increasing association of outdoor LAN with BMI, waist circumference was observed in all sex and age categories, except for adults aged 18-39 years. Significant associations of LAN exposure with prevalent obesity were observed in each sex and age category, especially in men and older people. Per 1-quintile increase in LAN was associated with 14% increased odds of general obesity in men (odds ratio, OR=1.14, 95% confidence interval, CI=1.07-1.23) and 24% in adults aged ≥ 60 years (OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.14-1.35). Per 1-quintile increase in LAN was associated with 19% increased odds of central obesity in men (OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.11-1.26) and 26% in adults aged ≥ 60 years (OR=1.26, 95% CI=1.17-1.35). Conclusions: Increased chronic outdoor LAN exposure was associated with increased prevalence of obesity in sex- and age- specific Chinese populations. Public health policies on reducing light pollution at night might be considered in obesity prevention.

Associations of sleeping patterns and isotemporal substitution of other behavior with the prevalence of CKD in Chinese adults.

Studies have found a U-shaped relationship between sleep duration and chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk, but limited research evaluated the association of reallocating excessive sleep to other behavior with CKD. We included 104 538 participants from the nationwide cohort of the Risk Evaluation of Cancers in Chinese Diabetic Individuals: A Longitudinal Study, with self-reported time of daily-life behavior. Using isotemporal substitution models, we found that substituting 1 h of sleeping with sitting, walking, or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with a lower CKD prevalence. Leisure-time physical activity displacement was associated with a greater prevalence reduction than occupational physical activity in working population. In stratified analysis, a lower CKD prevalence related to substitution toward physical activity was found in long sleepers. More pronounced correlations were observed in long sleepers with diabetes than in those with prediabetes, and they benefited from other behavior substitutions toward a more active way. The U-shaped association between sleep duration and CKD prevalence implied the potential effects of insufficient and excessive sleep on the kidneys, in which the pernicious link with oversleep could be reversed by time reallocation to physical activity. The divergence in the predicted effect on CKD following time reallocation to behavior of different domains and intensities and in subpopulations with diverse metabolic statuses underlined the importance of optimizing sleeping patterns and adjusting integral behavioral composition.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in relation to the remission and progression along the glycemic continuum.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to explore the associations of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with the remission and progression along the glycemic continuum. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was performed among the general population in 2010-2015. NAFLD was defined as ultrasound-detected hepatic steatosis with absence of excessive alcohol consumption and other hepatic diseases. Remission of type 2 diabetes referred to glycated hemoglobin <6.5% without hypoglycemic agents for ≥3 months. Prediabetes remission referred to normalization of blood glucose. Multivariable logistic analysis was applied to identify the risk of glycemic metabolic transition. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 4.3 years, participants with NAFLD had a significantly higher risk of progressing from normal glucose tolerance to diabetes (3.36 [1.60-7.07]) and lower likelihood of diabetes remission (0.48 [0.30-0.78]). Associations in participants with overweight or obesity and higher probability of hepatic fibrosis remained consistent. Results related to the effect of NAFLD on the specific glucose parameters were generally in line with the changes of glycemic status. NAFLD improvement decreased the risk of prediabetes progressing to diabetes (0.50 [0.32-0.80]) and increased the probability of prediabetes remission (2.67 [1.49-4.79]). NAFLD tended to show the most significant association with glycemic progression and decreased the likelihood in remission of prediabetes and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Presence of NAFLD increased risk of glycemic progression and decreased likelihood of remission. NAFLD improvement mitigated glycemic deterioration, whereas NAFLD progression impeded the chance of remission. The results emphasized joint management of NAFLD and diabetes and further focused on liver-specific subgroups of diabetes to tailor early intervention.

New definition of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease with elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and albuminuria: a prospective cohort study.

A new definition of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has recently been proposed. We aim to examine the associations of MAFLD, particularly its discordance from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), with the progression of elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and albuminuria in a community-based study sample in Shanghai, China. After 4.3 years of follow-up, 778 participants developed elevated baPWV and 499 developed albuminuria. In comparison with the non-MAFLD group, the multivariable adjusted odds ratio (OR) of MAFLD group for new-onset elevated baPWV was 1.25 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.55) and 1.35 (95% CI 1.07-1.70) for albuminuria. Participants without NAFLD but diagnosed according to MAFLD definition were associated with higher risk of incident albuminuria (OR 1.77; 95% CI 1.07-2.94). Patients with MAFLD with high value of hepamet fibrosis score or poor-controlled diabetes had higher risk of elevated baPWV or albuminuria. In conclusion, MAFLD was associated with new-onset elevated baPWV and albuminuria independently of body mass index, waist circumference, and hip circumference. Individuals without NAFLD but diagnosed as MAFLD had high risk of albuminuria, supporting that MAFLD criteria would be practical for the evaluation of long-term risk of subclinical atherosclerosis among fatty liver patients.

New Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Fibrosis Progression Associate With the Risk of Incident Chronic Kidney Disease.

CONTEXT: Little is known about the link between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) evolution and incident chronic kidney disease (CKD). OBJECTIVE: We aim to assess the associations of NALFD status changes and NAFLD fibrosis progression with the risk of incident CKD. METHODS: We conducted a community-based prospective study that included participants aged 40 years or older and free of CKD at baseline in 2010, with follow-up evaluations after a mean of 4.4 years. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) was used to evaluate fibrosis stage and progression. CKD was defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate or urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. All the measurements were performed at baseline and follow-up examination. RESULTS: Among 4042 participants with 4 NAFLD status change groups, incident NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of incident CKD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.003-2.06; P = 0.048) compared with non-NAFLD after adjustments for the confounders, including evolution of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, in addition to the baseline levels. However, the risk of incident CKD was not significantly different between NAFLD resolution and persistent NAFLD. Among 534 participants in the persistent NAFLD group, fibrosis progression from low NFS to intermediate or high NFS was associated with a significantly increased risk of incident CKD compared with stable fibrosis in low NFS (OR = 2.82; 95% CI, 1.22-6.56; P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: NAFLD development and fibrosis progression are associated with increased risk of incident CKD.

Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio levels are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis and predict CVD events and all-cause deaths: a prospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the associations of urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) levels with risks of subclinical atherosclerosis, cardiovascular events and all-cause deaths. METHODS: Data from a large population-based cohort were used, which included 9580 participants aged ≥40 years free from cardiovascular diseases. Carotid intima-media thickness, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and ankle-brachial index were measured at baseline to assess subclinical atherosclerosis. After a median of 4.53 years' follow-up, 486 cardiovascular events and 230 all-cause deaths were recorded. RESULTS: The urinary ACR levels were categorised into three groups. Compared with the normal group (0≤ACR <7.82 mg/g), people with low-grade albuminuria (7.82≤ACR <30 mg/g) and albuminuria (ACR ≥30 mg/g) had higher levels of subclinical atherosclerosis. In prospective analysis, people with low-grade albuminuria was not significantly associated with cardiovascular events (HR=1.18; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.46], whereas people with albuminuria had a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular events (HR=1.50; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.03). People with low-grade albuminuria and albuminuria had 43% (HR=1.43; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.93) and 87% (HR=1.87; 95% CI 1.24 to 2.81) higher risks of all-cause deaths during follow-up, respectively. In stratified analysis, the association of higher ACR with risks of cardiovascular events and all-cause deaths was stronger among individuals with concomitant subclinical atherosclerosis, the presence of diabetes and more cardiovascular risk factors, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ACR levels were positively associated with subclinical atherosclerosis and predicted the risks of cardiovascular events and all-cause deaths. Evaluation of ACR levels should be integrated into risk stratification and prevention of cardiovascular events and all-cause deaths, especially among those with pre-existing subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiometabolic abnormalities.

The 2017 ACC/AHA stage 1 hypertension is associated with arterial stiffness: a prospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between stage 1 hypertension defined by the 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guideline and risk of developing arterial stiffness. METHODS: During 2010-2015, 4595 adults aged ≥40 years without cardiovascular disease were followed up for a median of 4.3 years. BP levels at baseline were categorized into normal, elevated, stage 1 hypertension, and stage 2 hypertension. The development of arterial stiffness was defined as a normal brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) at baseline and an increased ba-PWV at follow-up. RESULTS: Compared with participants with normal BP, participants with stage 1 hypertension had a 1.48-fold increased risk of developing arterial stiffness [odds ratio (OR) =2.48; 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.59-3.85] after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors. The association was more evident in adults aged 40-59 years (OR =4.08; 95% CI =2.06-8.08) than that in those aged ≥60 years (OR =1.47; 95% CI =0.81-2.67). A systolic BP 130~139 mmHg was significantly associated with arterial stiffness independent of diastolic BP (OR =2.90; 95% CI =1.86-4.52). Stage 1 hypertension either at baseline or at follow-up was associated with increased risks compared with normal BP at both baseline and follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The 2017 ACC/AHA stage 1 hypertension was significantly associated with higher risks of arterial stiffness.

The progression and regression of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease are associated with the development of subclinical atherosclerosis: A prospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has been proposed and diagnosed based on modified criteria. However, evidence for the risks of developing subclinical atherosclerosis with MAFLD transitions according to its new definition has never been reported. METHODS: Using data from a community-based cohort, 6232 participants aged 40 years or older were included and were followed up for a median of 4.3 years during 2010-2015. Participants were categorized into four groups (stable non-MAFLD, MAFLD regressed to non-MAFLD, non-MAFLD progressed to MAFLD, and stable MAFLD). Subclinical atherosclerosis was defined as elevated carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV), or microalbuminuria. RESULTS: Compared with the stable non-MAFLD category, participants who progressed to MAFLD at follow-up visit had a 1.356-fold increased risk of developing elevated CIMT [odds ratio (OR) = 1.356; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.134-1.620], and a 1.458-fold increased risk of incident microalbuminuria (OR = 1.458; 95% CI = 1.034-2.056) after adjustment for confounders, respectively. In addition, participants with stable MAFLD showed 17.6%, 32.4%, and 35.4% increased risks of developing elevated CIMT, elevated ba-PWV and microalbuminuria, respectively. Compared with the stable MAFLD category, participants with MAFLD and low probability of fibrosis at baseline who regressed to non-MAFLD at follow-up visit had a 29.4% decreased risk of developing elevated CIMT (OR = 0.706; 95% CI = 0.507-0.984), a 43.1% decreased risk of developing elevated ba-PWV (OR = 0.569; 95% CI = 0.340-0.950), but was not significantly associated with incident microalbuminuria (OR = 0.709; 95% CI = 0.386-1.301). The decreased risks attributed to MAFLD regression were more evident in participants without diabetes or dyslipidemia, as well as in those with 0-1 metabolic risk abnormalities, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MAFLD was significantly associated with higher risks of developing subclinical atherosclerosis. Moreover, the regression of MAFLD might modify the risks of developing subclinical atherosclerosis, especially among those with low probability of fibrosis or less metabolic risk abnormalities. Since 40% of baseline participants with missing data on MAFLD measurement at follow-up were excluded, the conclusions should be speculated with caution.