TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics of MAFLD patients in the 2017–2018 NHANES.
| Variables | Training Cohort (n = 450) | Validation Cohort (n = 449) | P-value |
| Age (year) | 41.2 ± 11.4 | 41.3 ± 12.2 | 0.964 |
| Gender, n (%) | 0.683 | ||
| Male | 255 (56.7) | 261 (58.1) | |
| Female | 195 (43.3) | 188 (41.9) | |
| Anthropometrics | |||
| Weight (kg) | 90.8 ± 18.0 | 89.4 ± 18.2 | 0.240 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 31.9 ± 5.4 | 31.5 ± 6.4 | 0.249 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 105.7 ± 12.6 | 104.5 ± 13.5 | 0.155 |
| Hip circumference (cm) | 110.0 ± 10.9 | 109.6 ± 12.3 | 0.527 |
| Race, n (%) | 0.626 | ||
| Mexican American | 68 (15.2) | 76 (16.9) | |
| Other Hispanic | 37 (8.3) | 44 (9.7) | |
| Non-Hispanic | 320 (71.2) | 302 (67.2) | |
| Other races | 24 (5.3) | 28 (6.2) | |
| Blood test | |||
| FPG (mmol/L) | 5.6 ± 1.8 | 5.6 ± 2.0 | 0.974 |
| HbA1c (%) | 5.7 ± 1.0 | 5.7 ± 1.0 | 0.244 |
| ALT (U/L) | 28.9 ± 18.8 | 27.6 ± 18.6 | 0.323 |
| AST (U/L) | 23.5 ± 13.5 | 22.9 ± 11.4 | 0.472 |
| ALP (U/L) | 78.3 ± 23.8 | 78.2 ± 19.3 | 0.915 |
| GGT (U/L) | 35.0 ± 41.0 | 34.8 ± 30.8 | 0.965 |
| ALB (g/L) | 41.1 ± 3.2 | 41.5 ± 3.0 | 0.078 |
| TBIL (μmol/L) | 7.4 ± 4.9 | 7.6 ± 3.9 | 0.456 |
| TG (mmol/L) | 2.0 ± 1.5 | 2.0 ± 1.550 | 0.694 |
| TC (mmol/L) | 5.1 ± 1.0 | 5.0 ± 1.0 | 0.487 |
| HDL-C (mmol/L) | 1.3 ± 0.3 | 1.2 ± 0.4 | 0.397 |
| Creatinine (μmol/L) | 77.7 ± 49.0 | 75.2 ± 17.6 | 0.302 |
| UA (μmol/L) | 331.3 ± 77.2 | 340.7 ± 82.9 | 0.080 |
| PLT (109/L) | 257.0 ± 59.6 | 246.0 ± 62.5 | 0.007 |
| HGB (g/dL) | 14.5 ± 1.5 | 14.5 ± 1.4 | 0.673 |
| VCTE | |||
| CAP (dB/m), n (%) | 0.772 | ||
| S1 (248–267) | 76 (17.2) | 76 (16.9) | |
| S2 (268–279) | 68 (15.1) | 61 (13.5) | |
| S3 (≥280) | 305 (67.7) | 313 (69.6) | |
| IQRc | 0.225 | ||
| 35.4 ± 18.7 | 33.9 ± 17.7 | ||
| LSM (kPa), n (%) | 0.048 | ||
| F0 (<6.3) | 78 (17.2) | 76 (16.9) | |
| F1 (6.3–8.2) | 68 (15.1) | 61 (13.5) | |
| F2 (8.3–10.4) | 20 (4.6) | 15 (3.3) | |
| F3 (10.5–12.4) | 3 (0.7) | 8 (1.7) | |
| F4 (≥12.5) | 6 (1.3) | 11 (2.2) | |
| IQRe | 0.659 | ||
| 0.8 ± 0.6 | 0.8 ± 0.7 | ||
| Ratio: stiffness IQRe/median E | 0.758 | ||
| 13.8 ± 6.1 | 13.6 ± 6.0 | ||
| Hypertension | 60 (13.3) | 71 (15.8) | 0.299 |
| Diabetes | 41 (9.1) | 46 (10.3) | 0.644 |
| Gout | 12 (2.7) | 14 (3.1) | 0.299 |
| CHD | 5 (1.0) | 3 (0.7) | 0.287 |
| Thyroid problem | 38 (8.4) | 21 (4.6) | 0.026 |
| Average alcoholic drinks, n (%) | |||
| <4 drinks/day | 244 (54.3) | 283 (63.0) | |
| 4–8 drinks/day | 60 (13.3) | 29 (6.4) | |
| >8 drinks/day | 8 (1.7) | 13 (2.9) | |
| NA | 138 (30.7) | 124 (27.6) | |
Continuous variables are shown as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Categorical values are shown as n (%). MAFLD, Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease; BMI: body mass index; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; HbA1c, ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; GGT, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase; ALB, albumin; TBIL, total bilirubin; TG, triglycerides; TC, Total cholesterol; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; UA, uric acid; PLT, platelet; HGB, hemoglobin; VCTE, Vibration Controlled Transient Elastography; CAP, controlled attenuation parameter; IQRc, CAP interquartile range; LSM, liver stiffness measurements; IQRe, Stiffness E interquartile range; CHD, Coronary Heart Disease. NA, Not available.