Cumulative effects of excess high-normal alanine aminotransferase levels in relation to new-onset metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in China

Figure 5 Dose-response relationship between the cumulative effects of excess high-normal alanine aminotransferase levels and the risk of new-onset metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. A: Equally weighted cumulative effects of excess high-normal alanine aminotransferase (ehALT) levels; B: Unequally weighted cumulative effects of ehALT. The equally and unequally weighted cumulative effects of ehALT had a positive nonlinear relationship with the risk of new-onset metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in approximately 95% of the enrolled participants. Gray histogram: The probability distribution of the population corresponding to the accumulation of ehALT. Orange solid line: The restricted cubic splines [hazard ratios (HRs)]. Black dashed curves: The 95% confidence interval of the restricted cubic splines (HRs). Green dashed line: The reference line of the restricted cubic splines (HR = 1). Blue dashed lines: The dividing lines indicating population proportions of less than 5%, 3%, and 1%, respectively. MAFLD: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease; ehALT: Excess high-normal alanine aminotransferase; HR: Hazard ratio.