Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is increasingly recognized in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but accurate, disease-specific predictive tools are lacking. This study aimed to identify key risk factors and develop tailored prediction models for MASLD in IBD patients. Material and methods: In a retrospective-prospective cohort of 157 IBD patients (Ulcerative colitis: 51.6%; Crohn's disease: 48.4%), we performed serial clinical, laboratory, and imaging evaluations across four clinical visits. Hepatic steatosis was assessed using transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP >273 dB/m). Logistic regression identified independent risk factors for MASLD, leading to the development of an additive clinical score and a logistic regression-based score. Their diagnostic performances were compared with established indices (Hepatic steatosis index (HSI), Fatty liver index (FLI)). Results: MASLD was diagnosed in 37 patients (23.5%). Independent predictors included smoking (OR 3.55), dyslipidemia (OR 2.82), hypertension (OR 2.77), prolonged IBD duration, higher BMI, male sex, frequent disease flares, and corticosteroid exposure. The additive score (cut-off ≥3) showed good sensitivity (36.1%) but high specificity (94%). The logistic score (cut-off ≥3.5) achieved moderate specificity (45.3%) with excellent sensitivity (86.1%). Both models outperformed HSI (AUC 0.671) and FLI (AUC 0.701). CAP remained the most accurate tool (AUC 0.957). Conclusion: MASLD is highly prevalent in IBD patients, driven by both metabolic and disease-specific factors. The proposed clinical scores provide simple, accessible tools for early risk stratification, potentially guiding personalized surveillance in settings lacking advanced imaging technologies.
Stafie et al. (Fri,) studied this question.