Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT2722

Introduction: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic steatotic liver disease (NAFLD), is currently the most common liver disease in children due to the increasing prevalence of obesity. MASLD occurs with (mainly) visceral type obesity, dyslipidaemia and/or insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of MASLD in obese children.

Methods and patients: Obese patients aged 2.5 to 18.9 years examined at the Endocrinology and Gastroenterology outpatient clinics of the Children’s Clinic of the LFUK and NÚDCH in 2018-2023 were included in the study.

Results: In a cohort of 383 obese children and adolescents (179 girls, 204 boys), with a mean age of 13.3±3.4 years and BMI-SDS of 15.4±2.6, MASLD occurred in 222 children (58%). The prevalence of MASLD was not significantly different in children under 10 years (52.2%) and over 10 years (59.2%) (P = 0.341). MASLD patients had significantly higher BMI-SDS (5.8±2.6 vs. 4.8±2.5, P <0.001), higher AST, ALT and GMT (P <0.001), as well as HOMA index (P = 0.002) and higher liver steatosis and fibrosis index (PNFI), liver function index (FLI) (P= 0.039) and liver fibrosis index (HSI) scores (P <0.001 and P = 0.039, respectively).

Conclusion: More than half of obese children already have steatotic liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction, with an alarmingly high prevalence even in children under 10 years of age. Grant support: APVV-22-0310 and VEGA 2/0128/23