Cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross-sectional study from NHANES

Background: Although Emerging evidence suggests the association of environmental factors with hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, the relationship between Cobalt exposure and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis was not clear. Aim: Our study was aimed to explore the association between blood Cobalt level and...

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Main Authors: Ling Zhang, Shijie Ma, Rui Sun, Rui Xie, Peng Shen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325003392
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author Ling Zhang
Shijie Ma
Rui Sun
Rui Xie
Peng Shen
author_facet Ling Zhang
Shijie Ma
Rui Sun
Rui Xie
Peng Shen
author_sort Ling Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Background: Although Emerging evidence suggests the association of environmental factors with hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, the relationship between Cobalt exposure and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis was not clear. Aim: Our study was aimed to explore the association between blood Cobalt level and hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis diagnosed by vibration controlled transient elastography (VCTE) in US adults. Methods: This study analyzed data from 3193 individuals participating in the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Participants were classified into four groups according to the quartiles of blood cobalt concentration. Liver stiffness and fat content were assessed through vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), including measurements of the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). The association between blood cobalt levels and the prevalence of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis was explored using logistic regression models and stratified subgroup analyses. Results: The CAP values showed a significant decline across increasing cobalt quartiles. Participants in the highest quartile had a 41 % lower risk of hepatic steatosis compared to those in the lowest quartile (odds ratio: 0.59, 95 % confidence interval: 0.46–0.76, p < 0.001). However, no significant association existed between blood Cobalt and advanced liver fibrosis. Subgroup analysis revealed that the relationship was consistent across age, gender and body mass index subgroups. Conclusions: This study showed that blood Cobalt level was negatively association with hepatic steatosis. This may be due to increased development from hepatic steatosis to advanced liver fibrosis upon Cobalt exposure.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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spelling doaj-art-8d7fe60b36524e4cbfbe50a96d8df90f2025-08-20T03:42:56ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-03-0129311800310.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118003Cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross-sectional study from NHANESLing Zhang0Shijie Ma1Rui Sun2Rui Xie3Peng Shen4Department of Geriatric Medicine, The Affiliated Huai'an No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223000, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai'an No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223000, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai'an No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223000, ChinaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai'an No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223000, China; Corresponding authors.Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Huai'an No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223000, China; Corresponding authors.Background: Although Emerging evidence suggests the association of environmental factors with hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, the relationship between Cobalt exposure and hepatic steatosis and fibrosis was not clear. Aim: Our study was aimed to explore the association between blood Cobalt level and hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis diagnosed by vibration controlled transient elastography (VCTE) in US adults. Methods: This study analyzed data from 3193 individuals participating in the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Participants were classified into four groups according to the quartiles of blood cobalt concentration. Liver stiffness and fat content were assessed through vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), including measurements of the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). The association between blood cobalt levels and the prevalence of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis was explored using logistic regression models and stratified subgroup analyses. Results: The CAP values showed a significant decline across increasing cobalt quartiles. Participants in the highest quartile had a 41 % lower risk of hepatic steatosis compared to those in the lowest quartile (odds ratio: 0.59, 95 % confidence interval: 0.46–0.76, p < 0.001). However, no significant association existed between blood Cobalt and advanced liver fibrosis. Subgroup analysis revealed that the relationship was consistent across age, gender and body mass index subgroups. Conclusions: This study showed that blood Cobalt level was negatively association with hepatic steatosis. This may be due to increased development from hepatic steatosis to advanced liver fibrosis upon Cobalt exposure.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325003392CobaltLiver stiffnessControlled attenuation parameterHepatic steatosisAdvanced liver fibrosis
spellingShingle Ling Zhang
Shijie Ma
Rui Sun
Rui Xie
Peng Shen
Cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross-sectional study from NHANES
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Cobalt
Liver stiffness
Controlled attenuation parameter
Hepatic steatosis
Advanced liver fibrosis
title Cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross-sectional study from NHANES
title_full Cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross-sectional study from NHANES
title_fullStr Cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross-sectional study from NHANES
title_full_unstemmed Cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross-sectional study from NHANES
title_short Cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross-sectional study from NHANES
title_sort cobalt exposure was associated with the risk of hepatic steatosis and advanced liver fibrosis based on a cross sectional study from nhanes
topic Cobalt
Liver stiffness
Controlled attenuation parameter
Hepatic steatosis
Advanced liver fibrosis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325003392
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