EndoNAFLD: Evaluation of the Relationship Between Fatty Liver Disease and Endothelial Damage in Patients at High Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Management of risk factors is the primary approach to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this regard the accurate scoring of disease risk is fundamental. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged recently as a potential mediator of CVD onset and progression. The hypothesis is that NAFLD can be a predictive CVD risk factor, independent of other classical and well-known risk factors.

Preliminary epidemiological studies suggested that the fat infiltration in the liver mirrored the cardiometabolic status of the patient. But recent studies postulate that NAFLD could be a potential independent predictor of vascular injury.

The mechanisms that link liver function and endothelial damage include modulation of adipose tissue function, lipid metabolism regulation or glycemic homeostasis, among others. But new mechanisms that could link NAFLD and ECV are emerging. The synthesis of ketone bodies in the liver is closely related to the cardiovascular system function. Ketone bodies can provide up to 50% of energy required by specific tissues. Plasma concentration of β-hydroxybutyrate is a biomarker of NAFLD. Plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate levels are also inversely associated with endothelial injury.

Other biomarkers on endothelial damage like von Willebrand factor, ICAM, VCAM or coagulation factors (Factor VIII) can be used to stratify patients according to the risk of CVD. The improvement in the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of scores such as FLI, HIS and FIB-4 and non-invasive techniques such as elastography allow the study of the relationship between liver disease and other comorbidities.

The aim is to evaluate the potential of NAFLD to stratify patients according to the risk of CVD and to investigate the molecular mechanisms linking NAFLD and CVD.