Beyond BMI: revealing metabolic risk in lean MASLD
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6459-6996
Ermina Stratina
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8526-988X
Laura Huiban
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3044-0715
Irina Girleanu
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5925-1232
Horia Minea
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7736-8140
Catalin Sfarti
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7074-5938
Stefan Chiriac
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2497-9236
Anca Victorita Trifan
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9144-5520
Abstract
While Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) is normally associated with obesity, increasing evidence points to a substantial disease burden in individuals with normal body mass index (BMI), a phenotype referred to as "lean MASLD." This study aims to characterize the prevalence, metabolic risk profile, and hepatic involvement in lean MASLD within an Eastern European population, and to assess the diagnostic limitations of BMI-centered screening. Material and methods: An observational study was conducted on 1,438 adults undergoing comprehensive metabolic and hepatic evaluation, including vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) for liver steatosis and fibrosis. A detailed analysis focused on the normal-weight subgroup (BMI <25 kg/m²). In addition to standard anthropometric and laboratory markers, the CUN-BAE index was used to assess body fat composition. Performance of non-invasive indices (FLI, HSI, FIB-4, APRI, NFS) was evaluated, and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of steatosis and fibrosis. The study was conducted between January 2023 and February 2025. Results: MASLD was present in 19.28% of normal-weight individuals—an unexpectedly high prevalence given the absence of overt obesity. Despite normal BMI, this cohort demonstrated considerable metabolic dysfunction, including hypertension (26.47%), hypercholesterolemia (46.54%), and type 2 diabetes (18.38%). Visceral adiposity, as captured by the CUN-BAE score, emerged as a significant independent predictor of hepatic steatosis (p < 0.001). Conventional non-invasive steatosis and fibrosis scores exhibited only moderate discriminatory ability in lean individuals. Comparative analysis revealed significant metabolic and hepatic disparities between lean and obese MASLD phenotypes. Conclusion: Lean MASLD is an underrecognized yet clinically meaningful entity in Eastern Europe, frequently associated with metabolic derangements despite normal BMI. Reliance on BMI alone may obscure diagnosis and delay intervention. Visceral adiposity assessment and advanced non-invasive hepatic evaluation should be integrated into screening strategies to improve early detection and risk stratification in lean individuals.
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MASLD, CUN-BAE, hepatic fibrosis, transient elastography, visceral adiposity, non-invasive indices, lean phenotype
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