Relationship between fatty liver disease and cataract | ||||
| Minia Journal of Medical Research | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 14 February 2025 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/mjmr.2025.355712.1889 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Wael Mohamed Abdelghany1; Amany Mahrous Mahmoud  2; Mohamed Esmail Khalil Esmail 3; Manar M. Sayed4; Omar Abdelazim5
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| 1tropical department, faculty of medicine | ||||
| 2Tropical Medicine Department , Faculty of Medicine, Minia University , Egypt | ||||
| 3Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt | ||||
| 4Radiology Department , Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Egypt | ||||
| 5Tropical department,faculty of medecine, minya university | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background:Cataracts, the most frequent cause of blindness worldwide, are linked to metabolic and inflammatory conditions like diabetes and hypertension. At the same time, fatty liver disease (FLD),most notably metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD),has become a widespread health issue throughout the world associated with systemic inflammation and metabolic dysregulation. Recently, studies have linked FLD to cataractogenesis. Objective:To investigate the association between MAFLD and cataract subtype in a national, population-based study. Materials and methods: This observational cross-sectional study assessed 150 subjects with cataracts≥40 years old attending Minia University Hospital from March to October 2024 for MAFLD and cataract subtype.Patients had an extensive clinical, ophthalmic, and metabolic work-up, including anthropometry,liver ultrasonography, and fibrosis scoring.Cataracts were graded according to the Lens Opacities Classification System III (LOCS III) and MAFLD diagnosis integrated hepatic steatosis indices and metabolic markers. Results: MAFLD severity was significantly associated with cataract risk, especially nuclear cataracts, which accounted for 65.3% of cases. Elevated fatty liver indices (e.g., hepatic steatosis index) and advanced fibrosis were significantly associated with the presence of cataracts. Proposed mechanistic pathways are oxidative stress-induced protein denaturation, systemic inflammation, and hepatokine dysregulation,emphasizing a multifaceted liver-eye axis. These findings emphasize the necessity of multidisciplinary strategies in treating MAFLD and cataracts. Identifying metabolic dysfunction in patients with cataracts could be an opportunity for early intervention, thereby relieving the burden of both ocular and systemic diseases. Conclusions: Our results show a significant association between MAFLD and cataract,and higher fatty liver indices and advanced fibrosis stage may be risk factors for cataracts. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| MAFLD; Cataract; Fibrosis; Fatty liver indices; Nuclear cataracts | ||||
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