Research Progress in the Correlation of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic-associated Fatty Liver Disease with Cardiovascular Diseases in China and Abroad

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, its close correlation with metabolic disorders has been demonstrated in numerous studies in recent years and an expert panel has proposed renaming it metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). NAFLD/MAFLD may not only increase the incidence and mortality of liver-related diseases but also relate to the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases. This article compares the diagnostic criteria of NAFLD/MAFLD and reviews the research progress in the correlation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease with cardiovascular diseases. The results show that both NAFLD/MAFLD are significantly associated with the increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases and independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, MAFLD patients have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases than NAFLD patients. This article provides clinical physicians with the basis for cardiovascular risk assessment and management in NAFLD/MAFLD patients, emphasizing that in addition to the treatment of liver disease, clinical physicians should also focus on the risk of cardiovascular disease in NAFLD/MAFLD patients.

Keywords

• non-alcoholic fatty liver disease|metabolic associated fatty liver disease|cardiovascular diseases|association study|review