Cardiovascular Health Trajectories and Prevalent Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Midlife: The CARDIA Study.

Background: Metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is associated with prevalent cardiovascular disease. More favorable cardiovascular health (CVH) profiles are associated with a lower prevalence of MASLD in cross-sectional studies. The relationship between long-term CVH patterns and MASLD prevalence in midlife remains unknown.

Methods and results: Participants (aged 18-30 years at baseline) of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study who had individual CVH components measured at 7 examinations over 20 years and liver fat assessed by noncontrast computed tomography at year 25 follow-up were included. CVH score was defined using published American Heart Association definitions. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify CVH trajectories. MASLD was defined as liver attenuation of ≤51 Hounsfield units with at least 1 metabolic risk factor after excluding other causes of liver fat. Logistic regression was used to examine associations of CVH trajectory groups and MASLD prevalence. At baseline, 39% of 2529 participants had high and 5% had low CVH, respectively. MASLD prevalence at year 25 was 23% (n=587). Five distinct CVH trajectories were identified. Between the 2 groups that started at similar CVH scores, those whose CVH declined over time had a higher prevalence of MASLD at year 25 (7.0% in high-stable versus 23.0% high-decreasing; 24.4% in moderate-stable versus 35.7% in moderate-decreasing). Lower and decreasing trajectories were associated with higher year-25 MASLD prevalence compared with the high-stable trajectory.

Conclusions: Achieving and maintaining high CVH scores starting in young adulthood lowers the risk of prevalent MASLD in midlife.