Liver disease increased the likelihood of cardiovascular complications
The likelihood of serious cardiovascular complications was increased when liver disease activity score cT1 was detected on MRI. The risk was independent of liver tests, degree of fibrosis, or liver fat content.Researchers from Oxford University, Queen Mary University of London, and Harvard Medical School evaluated the relationship between chronic liver disease and the risk of heart and vascular disease and its complications. The findings were published in the Journal of Hepatology.
The cT1 liver disease activity score from MRI appeared to be associated with a 14% increased risk of any serious cardiovascular complications, atrial fibrillation by 30%, and heart failure by 30%. The likelihood of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease increased by 27% and the risk of all-cause mortality by 19%. This association was independent of liver tests, degree of fibrosis, or liver adipose tissue content and remained significant in a population without metabolic risk.
The researchers collected five years of data from 33,616 patients in the United Kingdom who underwent MRI to assess chronic liver disease activity and adipose tissue content. The mean age of the participants was 65 years, the mean body mass index was 26 kg/m2, and the mean glycated hemoglobin level was 35 mmol/mol. Patients' risk of serious cardiovascular complications was assessed taking into account liver tests and parameters such as C-reactive protein, glycated hemoglobin level, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol.