Hepatokine and Proinflammatory Cytokine Profile in Patients with Carotid Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease
<b>Background and Aims:</b> Hepatokines have a regulatory function in adipose tissue inflammation, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), cardiovascular diseases, and atherosclerosis. Our aim was to evaluate the profile of proinflammatory cytokines and hepatoki...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Biomedicines |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/4/978 |
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| Summary: | <b>Background and Aims:</b> Hepatokines have a regulatory function in adipose tissue inflammation, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), cardiovascular diseases, and atherosclerosis. Our aim was to evaluate the profile of proinflammatory cytokines and hepatokines in patients with MASLD and carotid atherosclerosis (CA). <b>Methods:</b> A prospective and basic research study was conducted on patients with MASLD. Clinical data were collected from a detailed medical history. Liver stiffness was measured using transient elastography, and carotid Doppler ultrasound was performed. Levels of basic biochemical parameters, systemic inflammation markers (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18), and hepatokines (FGF21, ANGPTL4, fetuin-A) were determined. The results were analyzed with SPSS v22.0 software. <b>Results:</b> Sixty-seven patients with MASLD were included, 72.1% were women, and the mean patient age was 53.9 + 11.3 years. Atherosclerosis was found in 11 patients (16.2%), and carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT) was altered in the right carotid of 13 patients (19.1%), in the left carotid of 19 (27.9%), and bilaterally in 7 (10.3%). Greater age (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and high blood pressure (<i>p</i> = 0.028) were correlated with atherosclerosis. There were no differences in systemic inflammation markers, and the hepatokines FGF21 and fetuin-A tended to increase in the presence of CIMT and CA alterations, regardless of fibrosis. <b>Conclusions:</b> In our population, patients with MASLD had a 16.6% prevalence of CA, and the risk increased with age and a history of high blood pressure. FGF21 tended to increase in patients with MASLD + atherosclerosis, and fetuin-A was correlated with CIMT alterations, suggesting that the combination of these markers could guide us to suspect early endothelial alterations in patients with MASLD. |
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| ISSN: | 2227-9059 |