Table 1.
Clinical patient parameters of dataset A
| Parameter | Patients without MASLD (n = 744) | Patients with MASLD (n = 991) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic parameters | |||
| Age [years] | 54.53 ± 20.61 (57.50) | 62.48 ± 13.47 (63.00) | <.001 |
| Men, [n (%)] | 307 (41.26%) | 509 (51.36%) | <.001 |
| Clinical parameters | |||
| Diabetes-related | |||
| BMI [kg/m2] | 27.30 ± 6.58 (26.01) | 32.66 ± 6.69 (32.35) | <.001 |
| Duration of diabetes [years] | 12.00 ± 10.13 (10.00) | 10.59 ± 8.24 (10.00) | .053 |
| Type of diabetes [% of type 1] | 299 (40.19%) | 71 (7.16%) | <.001 |
| Cardiovascular-related | |||
| Atrial fibrillation | 64 (8.86%) | 95 (9.87%) | .482 |
| Carotid arteries stenosis | 14 (1.88%) | 15 (1.51%) | .554 |
| Coronary artery disease | 225 (30.24%) | 388 (39.15%) | <.001 |
| Heart failure | 123 (16.53%) | 194 (19.58%) | .104 |
| Hypertension | 443 (59.62%) | 823 (83.05%) | <.001 |
| Mean diastolic blood pressure [mmHg] | 75.92 ± 7.58 (76.00) | 76.59 ± 7.43 (78.00) | .018 |
| Mean heart rate [bpm] | 80.23 ± 15.42 (80.00) | 80.36 ± 15.00 (80.00) | .936 |
| Mean systolic blood pressure [mmHg] | 125.87 ± 14.92 (124.00) | 129.83 ± 14.74 (130.00) | <.001 |
| Peripheral artery disease | 31 (4.17%) | 50 (5.05%) | .391 |
| Stroke | 64 (8.60%) | 80 (8.07%) | .692 |
| Diabetic complications | |||
| Diabetic foot disease | 19 (2.56%) | 31 (3.13%) | .479 |
| Diabetic peripheral neuropathy | 68 (9.15%) | 84 (8.48%) | .629 |
| Retinopathy | 296 (39.78%) | 332 (33.50%) | .007 |
| General | |||
| Current smoker [% of yes] | 119 (15.99%) | 199 (20.08%) | .029 |
| Emergency admission [% of yes] | 221 (29.70%) | 244 (24.65%) | .018 |
| Number of days of hospital stay | 7.05 ± 2.89 (7.00) | 7.44 ± 2.73 (7.00) | .007 |
| Concomitant diseases | |||
| Chronic kidney disease | 125 (16.87%) | 197 (19.92%) | .103 |
| Degenerative disease of the spine | 199 (26.78%) | 456 (46.01%) | <.001 |
| Hypercholesterolemia | 419 (56.32%) | 694 (70.03%) | <.001 |
| Hypertriglyceridemia | 180 (24.19%) | 471 (47.53%) | <.001 |
| Hyperuricemia | 154 (20.70%) | 350 (35.32%) | <.001 |
| Laboratory parameters | |||
| Alanine aminotransaminase [U/L] | 23.48 ± 24.34 (18.30) | 41.18 ± 84.07 (26.25) | <.001 |
| Aspartate aminotransaminase [U/L] | 21.28 ± 12.30 (18.50) | 41.25 ± 110.22 (25.55) | <.001 |
| Basophil count [109/L] | 0.04 ± 0.05 (0.02) | 0.04 ± 0.06 (0.03) | .003 |
| Creatinine [mmol/L] | 90.60 ± 42.38 (80.00) | 94.05 ± 40.38 (82.00) | .013 |
| CRP [mg/L] | 19.01 ± 52.50 (2.51) | 19.89 ± 54.09 (4.03) | <.001 |
| eGFR [mL/min/1.73m2] | 82.35 ± 33.10 (81.29) | 77.07 ± 31.09 (76.54) | .001 |
| Eosinophil count [109/L] | 0.19 ± 0.22 (0.15) | 0.20 ± 0.53 (0.14) | .137 |
| HbA1c [%] | 9.10 ± 2.45 (8.66) | 9.13 ± 2.33 (8.90) | .323 |
| HCT [%] | 39.45 ± 5.68 (39.90) | 40.27 ± 6.06 (40.90) | <.001 |
| Hgb [g/dL] | 13.40 ± 2.09 (13.50) | 13.72 ± 2.19 (14.00) | <.001 |
| Ketones—urine sample | 195 (26.97%) | 160 (16.31%) | <.001 |
| Lymphocyte count [109/L] | 2.11 ± 1.89 (1.94) | 2.38 ± 3.77 (2.10) | .004 |
| MCH [pg] | 30.42 ± 2.84 (30.40) | 30.88 ± 2.75 (30.80) | <.001 |
| MCHC [g/dL] | 33.86 ± 1.27 (33.90) | 33.98 ± 1.33 (34.00) | .036 |
| MCV [fL] | 89.65 ± 6.31 (89.60) | 90.85 ± 6.96 (90.50) | <.001 |
| Mean fast. glycemia [mg/dL] first day | 193.02 ± 79.69 (179.00) | 197.92 ± 85.45 (179.50) | .324 |
| Mean fast. glycemia [mg/dL] last day | 133.68 ± 38.12 (129.50) | 137.58 ± 34.62 (134.00) | .003 |
| Mean post. glycemia [mg/dL] first day | 173.37 ± 73.00 (163.00) | 178.84 ± 60.32 (166.00) | .027 |
| Mean post. glycemia [mg/dL] last day | 138.86 ± 29.71 (136.00) | 139.80 ± 30.35 (136.00) | .631 |
| Monocyte count [109/L] | 0.64 ± 0.39 (0.55) | 0.66 ± 0.60 (0.56) | .578 |
| Neutrophil count [109/L] | 6.15 ± 3.91 (5.14) | 5.79 ± 4.03 (4.91) | .028 |
| Platelet count [109/L] | 278.95 ± 92.69 (265.00) | 226.94 ± 85.19 (219.00) | <.001 |
| Potassium [mmol/L] | 4.61 ± 0.57 (4.56) | 4.59 ± 0.58 (4.57) | .597 |
| Protein—urine sample | 297 (40.80%) | 411 (41.73%) | .515 |
| Red blood cell count [1012/L] | 4.44 ± 0.79 (4.49) | 4.47 ± 0.71 (4.54) | .051 |
| Sodium [mmol/L] | 138.56 ± 10.31 (139.00) | 140.12 ± 41.32 (139.00) | <.001 |
| Total cholesterol [mmol/L] | 4.59 ± 1.22 (4.49) | 4.64 ± 1.68 (4.43) | .388 |
| Triglyceride [mmol/L] | 1.47 ± 0.98 (1.22) | 2.18 ± 2.02 (1.69) | <.001 |
| Uric acid [mmol/L] | 306.55 ± 115.03 (284.50) | 343.09 ± 110.25 (329.00) | <.001 |
| White blood cell count [109/L] | 9.10 ± 4.61 (8.10) | 8.86 ± 5.20 (8.00) | .243 |
| Pharmacotherapy | |||
| ACEi/ARB | 299 (40.19%) | 612 (61.76%) | <.001 |
| Allopurinol | 123 (16.53%) | 263 (26.54%) | <.001 |
| Alpha blocker | 63 (8.47%) | 121 (12.21%) | .012 |
| Amiodarone | 3 (0.40%) | 7 (0.71%) | .409 |
| ASA | 289 (38.84%) | 562 (56.71%) | <.001 |
| Beta blocker | 315 (42.34%) | 596 (60.14%) | <.001 |
| Calcium blocker | 156 (20.97%) | 317 (31.99%) | <.001 |
| Clopidogrel | 35 (4.70%) | 46 (4.64%) | .951 |
| Digoxin | 12 (1.61%) | 16 (1.61%) | .998 |
| DPP-4 inhibitors | 111 (14.92%) | 162 (16.35%) | .419 |
| Fibrate | 4 (0.54%) | 28 (2.83%) | <.001 |
| GLP-1 agonist | 13 (1.75%) | 22 (2.22%) | .488 |
| Heparin | 37 (4.97%) | 57 (5.75%) | .478 |
| Insulin | 605 (81.32%) | 761 (76.79%) | .023 |
| PPI | 203 (27.28%) | 312 (31.48%) | .058 |
| Loop diuretic | 190 (25.54%) | 325 (32.80%) | .001 |
| Metformin | 241 (32.39%) | 599 (60.44%) | <.001 |
| NOAC | 40 (5.38%) | 65 (6.56%) | .307 |
| Non-loop diuretics | 71 (9.54%) | 202 (20.38%) | <.001 |
| Potassium-sparing diuretics | 55 (7.39%) | 118 (11.91%) | .002 |
| SGLT2 inhibitor | 50 (6.72%) | 153 (15.44%) | <.001 |
| Statin | 303 (40.73%) | 607 (61.25%) | <.001 |
| Sulfonylureas | 195 (26.21%) | 278 (28.05%) | .394 |
| VKA | 23 (3.09%) | 30 (3.03%) | .939 |
For each parameter (if applicable), mean ± SD is reported together with the median (in parentheses). For each binary parameter, we calculated the total number of ones and the percentage of ones. The P values were obtained using either Mann-Whitney U-test or χ2 test as appropriate. The most discriminative predictors are bolded.
Abbreviations: ACEI, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker; ASA, acetylsalicylic acid; BMI, body mass index; CRP, C-reactive protein; DPP-4, dipeptidyl peptidase 4; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; GLP-1, glucagon-like peptide-1; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1C; HCT, hematocrit; Hgb, hemoglobin; NOAC, novel oral anticoagulants; MASLD, metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease; MCH, mean corpuscular hemoglobin; MCHC, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration; MCV, mean corpuscular volume; PPI, proton-pump inhibitor; SGLT-2, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2; VKA, vitamin K antagonists.