A006: Liver Function and Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Sarcopenia

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Background/Aim: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become increasingly prevalent as one of the most common chronic liver diseases worldwide. Sarcopenia, defined by the decline in muscle mass, power, strength, and performance, has been linked to NAFLD in recent epidemiological research, although findings have been inconclusive. This meta-analysis aimed to consolidate and determine the impact of sarcopenia on liver function, as well as the occurrence and severity of NAFLD in individuals with sarcopenia. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in databases including PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science were searched up to November 20, 2023. Relevant data from the identified articles were extracted and subjected to quality and risk of bias assessment. Meta-analysis was performed utilizing random-effect models. Results: Twenty-two articles were utilized for the analysis. Individuals with sarcopenia exhibited elevated levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (SMD = 0.131, 95% CI: 0.039-0.224) and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (SMD = 0.083, 95% CI: 0.043-0.124) compared to healthy control groups. Furthermore, a significantly increased risk of NAFLD (OR=1.538; 95% CI: 1.355-1.744) and notable fibrosis related to NAFLD (OR=1.611; 95% CI: 1.406-1.846) was observed in sarcopenia patients. Conclusion/Discussion: The serum levels of both ALT and AST were found to be elevated in individuals with sarcopenia compared to those in the normal population. Additionally, sarcopenia patients had a higher risk of developing NAFLD, and NAFLD-associated significant fibrosis. In contrast to earlier research, this study incorporated the most recent findings and was the first to investigate potential differences in serum ALT and AST level between sarcopenia patients and healthy control groups. The remaining results aligned with previous studies. These findings emphasize the significance of routine monitoring of liver function in patients with sarcopenia and highlight the need for longitudinal studies to investigate the potential causal relationship between sarcopenia and NAFLD.