Serum Irisin, Myostatin, and Myonectin Correlate with Metabolic Health Markers, Liver Disease Progression, and Blood Pressure in Patients with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease and Hypertension.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Recent data indicate the involvement of skeletal muscles in the regulation of metabolism and in the pathogenesis of chronic noncommunicable diseases. The goal of our study was to describe the serum concentrations of myokines in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and hypertension (HTN) and their correlation with laboratory parameters, blood pressure (BP), and MASLD severity.

METHODS

A total of 67 patients with MASLD and HTN underwent anthropometric measurements, laboratory tests, and point shear-wave elastography. The serum concentrations of myokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

Patients with detectable serum myonectin concentrations had significantly higher maximum systolic blood pressure ( = 0.022) and higher blood levels of uric acid ( = 0.029). Serum irisin concentration ≥ 6.1 μg/mL was associated with higher FLI values ( = 0.042) and liver stiffness ( = 0.034), as well as with slightly higher waist circumference ( = 0.082) and triglyceride level ( = 0.062). Patients with serum myostatin concentration ≥ 4.98 ng/mL were significantly older ( = 0.033) and had a lower blood albumin level ( = 0.043).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the myokine profile in patients with MASLD and HTN correlates both with the severity of MASLD and the parameters characteristic of metabolic health, suggesting the possible contribution of altered irisin, myonectin, and myostatin concentrations to the occurrence of cardiometabolic risks in patients with MASLD.