Adverse Liver Outcomes, Cardiovascular Events, and Mortality in Steatotic Liver Disease.

Importance: Steatotic liver disease is a major cause of advanced liver disease and is associated with increased risks of long-term adverse outcomes. However, estimates in steatotic liver disease subtypes according to the revised nomenclature are limited in population-based cohorts.

Objective: To compare the risks of adverse liver outcomes, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and all-cause mortality across steatotic liver disease subtypes.

Cause-specific mortality in patients with steatotic liver disease in the United States.

Background & Aims: Causes of death across steatotic liver disease (SLD) subtypes remain incompletely characterized in routine clinical practice. We aimed to quantify and compare cause-specific mortality in patients with SLD.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults with imaging-confirmed hepatic steatosis receiving outpatient care in the national Veterans Health Administration (2010-2021).

Validation and Epidemiologic Definition of the Novel Steatotic Liver Disease Nomenclature in a National United States Cohort With Cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Novel steatotic liver disease (SLD) definitions were introduced in 2023. Accurate and meaningful classifications using clinical data are needed to study interventions and outcomes.

Methods: In a national cohort of Veterans with cirrhosis and imaging-confirmed steatosis, 7 algorithms differentially emphasizing cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) and alcohol exposure were developed to define alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), metabolic dysfunction associated SLD (MASLD), and MASLD with increased alcohol intake (MetALD).

Waitlisting and liver transplantation for MetALD in the United States: An analysis of the UNOS national registry.

Background And Aims: The new steatotic liver disease (SLD) nomenclature introduced metabolic and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD), describing the intersection of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and alcohol-associated liver disease. Waitlisting and liver transplantation for MetALD are not well defined. We aimed to develop and validate an algorithm for identifying SLD phenotypes and assessing trends in waitlisting and transplant outcomes.

Racial and ethnic differences and the role of unfavorable social determinants of health across steatotic liver disease subtypes in the United States.

Background: The global liver community established a more precise criteria to characterize steatotic liver disease (SLD), specifically metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD). We aimed to estimate the burden of SLD subtypes and unfavorable social determinants of health (SDOH) in US adults and whether clinical and social factors drive disparities across racial/ethnic subgroups.

Methods: We evaluated 4263 persons aged 20 years or older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018.

Enhanced Identification of Hispanic Ethnicity Using Clinical Data: A Study in the Largest Integrated United States Health Care System.

Background: Collection of accurate Hispanic ethnicity data is critical to evaluate disparities in health and health care. However, this information is often inconsistently recorded in electronic health record (EHR) data.

Objective: To enhance capture of Hispanic ethnicity in the Veterans Affairs EHR and compare relative disparities in health and health care.

Comparison of transient elastography and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-sodium to Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-sodium alone to predict mortality and liver transplantation.

Objectives: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) alone and with sodium (MELD-Na) have decreasing predictive capacity as trends in liver disease evolve. We sought to combine transient elastography (TE) with MELD-Na to improve its predictive ability.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study comparing the use of TE, MELD-Na, and composite MELD-Na-TE to predict liver transplantation and all-cause mortality, with hepatic decompensation as a secondary outcome.

Maltodextrin-induced intestinal injury in a neonatal mouse model.

Prematurity and enteral feedings are major risk factors for intestinal injury leading to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). An immature digestive system can lead to maldigestion of macronutrients and increased vulnerability to intestinal injury. The aim of this study was to test in neonatal mice the effect of maltodextrin, a complex carbohydrate, on the risk of intestinal injury.

Long-term outcomes after liver transplantation in the Hispanic population.

Background & Aims: Racial/ethnic disparities in liver transplantation (LT) are well-recognized. Although Hispanics represent the largest and youngest minority group in the United States, limited data exist on long-term outcomes. We aimed to investigate long-term post-liver transplant outcomes in Hispanic patients and identify potential disparities compared to a baseline demographic of non-Hispanic white patients.

Effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids on postnatal ileum development using the fat-1 transgenic mouse model.

Background: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) play a critical role in neonatal health. We hypothesized that LCPUFAs play an essential role in priming postnatal gut development. We studied the effect of LCPUFAs on postnatal gut development using fat-1 transgenic mice, which are capable of converting n-6 to n-3 LCPUFAs, and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice.