Liver magnetic resonance imaging, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome risk in pre-pubertal Mexican boys

TY - JOUR

T1 - Liver magnetic resonance imaging, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome risk in pre-pubertal Mexican boys

AU - de Celis Alonso, Benito

AU - Shumbayawonda, Elizabeth

AU - Beyer, Cayden

AU - Hidalgo-Tobon, Silvia

AU - Lopez-Martinez, Briseida

AU - Dies-Suarez, Pilar

AU - Klunder-Klunder, Miguel

AU - Miranda-Lora, America Liliana

AU - Barragab Perez, Eduardo

AU - Thomaides-Brears, Helena

AU - Banerjee, Rajarshi

AU - Thomas, E Louise

AU - Bell, Jimmy

AU - So, Po-Wah

N1 - © 2024. The Author(s).

PY - 2024/10/30

Y1 - 2024/10/30

N2 - Rising global pediatric obesity rates, increase non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence, with MetS being a NAFLD risk factor. NAFLD can be asymptomatic, with liver function tests insensitive to mild disease, and liver biopsy, risking complications. Thus, we investigated multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) metrics of liver fat (proton density fat fraction, PDFF) and disease activity (fibro-inflammation; iron-corrected T1, cT1), in a Hispanic pre-pubertal pediatric cohort, with increased risk of NAFLD. Pre-pubertal boys (n = 81) of varying Body-Mass Index (BMI) were recruited in Mexico City. Most children (81%) had normal liver transaminase levels, 38% had high BMI, and 14% had ≥ 3 MetS risk factors. Applying mpMRI thresholds, 12%, 7% and 4% of the cohort had NAFLD, NASH and high-risk NASH respectively. Participants with ≥ 3 MetS risk factors had higher cT1 (834 ms vs. 737 ms, p = 0.004) and PDFF (8.7% vs. 2.2%, p < 0.001) compared to those without risk factors. Those with elevated cT1 tended to have high BMI and high insulin (p = 0.005), HOMA-IR (p = 0.005) and leptin (p < 0.001). The significant association of increased risk of MetS with abnormal mpMRI, particularly cT1, proposes the potential of using mpMRI for routine pediatric NAFLD screening of high-risk (high BMI, high MetS risk score) populations.

AB - Rising global pediatric obesity rates, increase non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence, with MetS being a NAFLD risk factor. NAFLD can be asymptomatic, with liver function tests insensitive to mild disease, and liver biopsy, risking complications. Thus, we investigated multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) metrics of liver fat (proton density fat fraction, PDFF) and disease activity (fibro-inflammation; iron-corrected T1, cT1), in a Hispanic pre-pubertal pediatric cohort, with increased risk of NAFLD. Pre-pubertal boys (n = 81) of varying Body-Mass Index (BMI) were recruited in Mexico City. Most children (81%) had normal liver transaminase levels, 38% had high BMI, and 14% had ≥ 3 MetS risk factors. Applying mpMRI thresholds, 12%, 7% and 4% of the cohort had NAFLD, NASH and high-risk NASH respectively. Participants with ≥ 3 MetS risk factors had higher cT1 (834 ms vs. 737 ms, p = 0.004) and PDFF (8.7% vs. 2.2%, p < 0.001) compared to those without risk factors. Those with elevated cT1 tended to have high BMI and high insulin (p = 0.005), HOMA-IR (p = 0.005) and leptin (p < 0.001). The significant association of increased risk of MetS with abnormal mpMRI, particularly cT1, proposes the potential of using mpMRI for routine pediatric NAFLD screening of high-risk (high BMI, high MetS risk score) populations.

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/diagnostic imaging

KW - Metabolic Syndrome/diagnostic imaging

KW - Child

KW - Mexico/epidemiology

KW - Liver/diagnostic imaging

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

KW - Body Mass Index

KW - Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85208162231

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-024-77307-8

DO - 10.1038/s41598-024-77307-8

M3 - Article

C2 - 39478096

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 14

SP - 26104

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

IS - 1

M1 - 26104

ER -