Dysregulated Neurovascular Control Underlies Declining Microvascular Functionality in People With Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) at Risk of Liver Fibrosis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Increasing evidence shows that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with dysregulation of microvascular perfusion independently of established cardio-metabolic risk factors. We investigated whether hepatic manifestations of NAFLD such as liver fibrosis and liver fat are associated with microvascular hemodynamics through dysregulation of neurovascular control. METHODS: Microvascular dilator (post-occlusive reactive hyperemia) and sympathetically mediated constrictor (deep inspiratory breath-hold) responses were measured at the forearm and finger, respectively, using laser Doppler fluximetry. Non-linear complexity-based analysis was used to assess the information content and variability of the resting blood flux (BF) signals, attributable to oscillatory flow-motion activity, and over multiple sampling frequencies. RESULTS: Measurements were made in 189 adults (113 men) with NAFLD, with (n = 65) and without (n = 124) type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), age = 50.9 ± 11.7 years (mean ± SD). Microvascular dilator and constrictor capacity were both negatively associated with age (r = −0.178, p = 0.014, and r = −0.201, p = 0.007, respectively) and enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score (r = −0.155, p = 0.038 and r = −0.418, p < 0.0001, respectively). There was no association with measures of liver fat, obesity or T2DM. Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) and sample entropy (SE) of the BF signal measured at the two skin sites were associated negatively with age (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001) and positively with ELF score (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001). In individuals with an ELF score ≥7.8 the influence of both neurogenic and respiratory flow-motion activity on LZC was up-rated (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Altered microvascular network functionality occurs in adults with NAFLD suggesting a mechanistic role for dysregulated neurovascular control in individuals at risk of severe liver fibrosis.