Fatty Liver Disease Tied to Higher Risk for Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events

THURSDAY, May 28, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Hepatic steatosis is associated with greater noncalcified plaque burden (NCPB) and an increased risk for a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), according to a study published online May 20 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.Jan M. Brendel, M.D., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues examined the relationship of hepatic steatosis with coronary plaque composition and MACE. The analysis included 3,637 patients evaluated for chest pain with coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography data.The researchers found that 25.5 percent of participants had hepatic steatosis, which was associated with being slightly younger, more often male, having more cardiovascular risk factors, and a higher MACE rate (4.1 versus 2.5 percent). Hepatic steatosis was associated with greater NCPB (β = 0.15 percent) when adjusting for clinical risk factors. There was an association between hepatic steatosis and increased MACE risk independent of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score, obesity, obstructive stenosis, and NCPB (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.69). NCPB mediated 11 percent of the association between hepatic steatosis and MACE."Our findings highlight that fatty liver disease is not only a liver condition but also an important marker of heart disease risk," Brendel said in a statement. "Fatty liver disease can be detected on routine cardiac CT scans and could help guide earlier, preventive treatment."Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Fatty Liver Disease Tied to Higher Risk for Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events

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