Body Composition Analysis as An Indicator of Steatosis Severity in Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease (Formerly known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease): A Cross-Sectional Study

Galal, Ghada M; Gamal, Wafaa; Abdel-Gawad, Abdelhady Ragab; Maher, Amira

doi:10.21608/smj.2025.349381.1522

Body Composition Analysis as An Indicator of Steatosis Severity in Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease (Formerly known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease): A Cross-Sectional Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University.

² Sohag Center of Cardiac & Digestive System

³ Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University.

⁴ Sohag, Sohag University, Faculty of Medicine

10.21608/smj.2025.349381.1522

Abstract

Abstract

Background and objectives: Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. The measurement of body composition may help in the prediction of hepatic steatosis. This work aimed to correlate the clinical and body composition parameters on one hand and the steatosis degree assessed by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and to detect the factors predicting advanced steatosis in MASLD patients.

Methodology: This cross-sectional hospital-based study included 80 adults with MASLD. Participants were clinically examined to detect buffalo hump, double chin, acanthosis nigricans, skin tags, and xanthelasma, laboratory investigations including a lipid profile, fibroscan and CAP measurement, and bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) to evaluate body composition. According to CAP, patients were categorized into S1, S2, and S3 groups.

Results: We included 41 males and 39 females, with a mean age of 41.62±8.57 years. Double chin, acanthosis nigricans, waist circumference (WC), mid-arm circumference (MAC), body fat mass, BMI, percent body fat (PBF), abdomen fat %, waist-hip ratio (WHR), visceral fat level, and obesity degree were significantly higher in S3 group. Higher MAC, and grade II and III fatty liver by ultrasound were independent predictors of severe steatosis.

Conclusions: Double, acanthosis nigricans, WC, MAC, body fat mass, BMI, PBF, abdomen fat %, WHR, visceral fat level, and obesity degree are significantly associated with severe steatosis. Thus, clinical phenotypes and body composition analysis by the BIA technique may provide non-invasive tools that possibly predict severe steatosis.

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