Chronic Viral Hepatitis With MASLD: Implications for Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes
Recommended Citation
Papatheodoridis G, Buti M, Yilmaz Y, Yu ML, El-Kassas M, Alswat K, Fernandez MIC, Eguchi Y, Duseja A, Keklikkiran C, Hamid S, Chan WK, Gordon SC, Roberts SK, George J, Singal AK, Ahmed A, Lam B, Nader F, Henry L, Stepanova M, Alqahtani SA, Younossi ZM. Chronic Viral Hepatitis with MASLD: Implications for Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2026;41(8):2440-2447.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-1-2026
Publication Title
Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Keywords
Humans, Male, Patient Reported Outcome Measures, Female, Middle Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Hepatitis B, Chronic, Hepatitis C, Chronic, Adult, Fatty Liver, Surveys and Questionnaires, Fatigue, Comorbidity, Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Aged
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are common liver diseases. Clinical characteristics and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of HBV and HCV patients with/without superimposed MASLD were evaluated.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study of clinical and PRO (FACIT-Fatigue [FACIT-F], Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire [CLDQ], Work Productivity and Activity Impairment [WPAI] questionnaire) data from Global Liver Registry, HBV and HCV patients. MASLD was defined as Hepatic Steatosis Index (HSI) ≥ 36 with ≥ 1 cardiometabolic risk factor (overweight, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia).
RESULTS: Among 4649 subjects, 2063 had HBV (48 ± 13 years; 57% male; 11% advanced fibrosis; 49% MASLD); 2586 had HCV (56 ± 14 years; 47% male; 18% advanced fibrosis; 47% MASLD). HBV with/without MASLD were similar in age, sex, and noncardiometabolic comorbidities (all p > 0.05) but those with MASLD had more advanced fibrosis (p < 0.01) and significantly lower PRO scores: FACIT-F Physical Well-Being and Fatigue domains and all CLDQ (all p < 0.01) especially Fatigue domain (6% reduction in score range). HCV patients with MASLD were younger, more frequently female (p < 0.01) with similar rates of advanced fibrosis, biopsy-proven cirrhosis, and noncardiometabolic comorbidities (all p > 0.05). They had significantly lower scores in FACIT-F Physical Well-Being and all CLDQ domains (all p < 0.01); the greatest impairment was in Systemic Symptoms and Worry domains (6% reduction in score range). MASLD was independently associated with lower CLDQ scores in multivariate analysis (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of HBV or HCV patients had MASLD and reported significantly worse PROs, highlighting the importance of proactive metabolic assessment and management in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.
Medical Subject Headings
Humans; Male; Patient Reported Outcome Measures; Female; Middle Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Hepatitis B, Chronic; Hepatitis C, Chronic; Adult; Fatty Liver; Surveys and Questionnaires; Fatigue; Comorbidity; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Aged
PubMed ID
42419754
Volume
41
Issue
8
First Page
2440
Last Page
2447
