Metabolic biomarkers related to cardiac dysfunction in metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional analysis

INTRODUCTION: Hepatic steatosis is associated with cardiac systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Therefore, we evaluated metabolites and their potential cardiovascular effects in metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 75 participants (38 MAFLD and 37 controls). Hepatic steatosis was confirmed by hepatic ultrasonography and SteatoTest(TM). Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography. Metabolomic analysis was conducted using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The median age for participants’ age was 45 (IQR 30–56.5), with gender distribution of 35 males and 40 females. MAFLD patients had lower levels of glycyl tyrosine (p-value < 0.001), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) (18:2/0:0) (p-value < 0.001), LPC (22:6) (p-value < 0.001), and ceramide (Cer) (d18:0/23:0) (p-value 0.003) compared to controls. MAFLD patients presented lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), E/A ratio, E/e′ ratio, and average global longitudinal strain (GLS) values, with a p-value of 0.047, <0.001, 0.008, and <0.001, respectively. Decreased glycyl tyrosine levels were significantly correlated with reduced LVEF, even after performing multiple linear regression with 95% CI (1.34–3.394, p-value < 0.001). Moreover, decreased LPC (18:2/0:0) levels remained significantly associated with E/A ratio, even after adjusting for confounding factors with 95% CI (0.008–0.258, p-value = 0.042). CONCLUSION: MAFLD patients are at risk for developing cardiac systolic and subclinical systolic dysfunctions, as well as diastolic dysfunction. Decreased glycyl tyrosine levels correlate with reduced LVEF and LPC (18:2/0:0) levels with diastolic dysfunction, even after adjusting for confounding factors, suggesting their potential to be used as metabolic biomarkers in detecting cardiovascular risk.