Steatotic liver disease is the most important somatic determinant of quality of life in patients with obesity: A cross‐sectional study

• Published in: Liver international 2024-01, Vol.44 (1), p.191-201
• Main Authors: Wernberg, Charlotte Wilhelmina, Kjer, Mads Fallesen, Grønkjær, Lea Ladegaard, Jacobsen, Birgitte Gade, Lauridsen, Mette Munk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biopsy; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Fatty liver; Fatty Liver - epidemiology; Female; Humans; Liver; Liver diseases; Male; Metabolism; Middle Aged; non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - epidemiology; Quality of Life; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; sickness impact profile; Signs and symptoms; Steatosis
• ISSN: 1478-3223; 1478-3231
• DOI: 10.1111/liv.15761

Background and Aims Patients with metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are often comorbid and stigmatized. This can negatively affect quality of life (QOL). Other studies have primarily used the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ), which focuses on liver‐related symptoms, to characterize QOL, but most MASLD patients have only mild liver disease, and CLDQ might overlook QOL issues pertaining to them. We aimed to determine the impact of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis (MASH) on QOL in obese patients using a 136‐item generic QOL questionnaire. Methods We included participants with BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 who all fully answered the sickness impact profile (SIP, range 0–100, normal = 3.4, 100 = worst) and had a liver biopsy to diagnose MASLD. Sociodemographics, comorbidity and biometric data were obtained from all participants. Results Of 176 (mean age 45.9 years, 70% female, 12.6 years of education), 132 had no‐MASH and 44 MASH. On stepwise multivariable regression analysis, divorce (p = .011), unemployment (p