Longitudinal Links between Changes in Body Composition and Liver Disease Severity in Children and Adolescents with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between longitudinal changes in body composition and liver disease severity in children with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

STUDY DESIGN

This longitudinal, single-center, retrospective analysis included patients aged <20 years followed for MASLD who had had ≥2 bioelectrical impedance analyses (BIAs) performed. MASLD regression was defined as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization or a decrease of >50% from baseline. Fat and skeletal muscle mass were adjusted for size by calculating respective indices (dividing by height). Logistic and linear regressions were used to determine the independent relationship between changes in body composition over time and serological markers of liver disease severity.

RESULTS

We included 258 patients (75% male, 50% Hispanic) with a median age of 14 years (IQR, 11-16 years) at the time of first BIA. Median body mass index (BMI) z-score at baseline was 2.33 (IQR, 2.04-2.62). Median time from first to last BIA was 12 months (IQR, 6-24 months). A decrease in fat mass index was independently associated with reductions in ALT and gamma glutamyl transferase and increased odds of MASLD regression (OR; 0.55; P < .001). Fat mass index reduction was superior to BMI z-score in predicting MASLD regression. Change in skeletal muscle mass index was not associated with change in ALT or gamma glutamyl transferase.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in fat mass, not skeletal muscle mass, are associated with serological markers of liver injury in youth with MASLD. Fat mass changes outperform BMI z-score changes in predicting MASLD regression. BIA can serve as an adjunct biomarker of liver disease progression.