Letter to the Editor
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 21, 2024; 30(47): 5086-5091
Published online Dec 21, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i47.5086
Inflammatory biomarkers as cost-effective predictive tools in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease
Davide Ramoni, Luca Liberale, Fabrizio Montecucco
Davide Ramoni, Luca Liberale, Fabrizio Montecucco, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
Luca Liberale, Fabrizio Montecucco, Department of Internal Medicine, First Clinic of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Italian Cardiovascular Network, Genoa 16132, Italy
Author contributions: Montecucco F designed the draft of the manuscript and supervised the work; Ramoni D performed the conceptualization and wrote the full manuscript; Liberale L reviewed and edited the final version; All authors have read and approve the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report having no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Fabrizio Montecucco, MD, PhD, Full Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, First Clinic of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Italian Cardiovascular Network, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, Genoa 16132, Italy. fabrizio.montecucco@unige.it
Received: August 13, 2024
Revised: October 1, 2024
Accepted: November 1, 2024
Published online: December 21, 2024
Processing time: 104 Days and 17 Hours
Abstract

Qu and Li emphasize a fundamental aspect of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in their manuscript, focusing on the critical need for non-invasive diagnostic tools to improve risk stratification and predict the progression to severe liver complications. Affecting approximately 25% of the global population, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease is the most common chronic liver condition, with higher prevalence among those with obesity. This letter stresses the importance of early diagnosis and intervention, especially given the rising incidence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Research advancements provide insight into the potential of biomarkers (particularly inflammation-related) as predictive tools for disease progression and treatment response. This overview addresses pleiotropic biomarkers linked to chronic inflammation and cardiometabolic disorders, which may aid in risk stratification and treatment efficacy monitoring. Despite progress, significant knowledge gaps remain in the clinical application of these biomarkers, necessitating further research to establish standardized protocols and validate their utility in clinical practice. Understanding the complex interactions among these factors opens new avenues to enhance risk assessment, leading to better patient outcomes and addressing the public health burden of this worldwide condition.

Keywords: Adipokines; Cardiometabolic risk assessment; Inflammatory biomarkers; Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease; Metabolic syndrome; Osteopontin

Core Tip: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease is a rapidly growing condition that requires the identification of non-invasive diagnostic tools, particularly biomarkers that are readily detectable and cost-effective. In this article, we focused on inflammation-related biomarkers, which show promise due to their ability to impact both metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Integrating these non-invasive tools into the clinical practice can reinforce risk stratification and facilitate early intervention. This approach not only enhances patient outcomes, but also addresses the rising prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. Continued research is essential to validate these biomarkers in clinical practice and to improve the management and personalization of care strategies.