Publication date: Sep 01, 2025
Steatotic liver diseases (SLDs) and their subcategories-metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), metabolic dysfunction and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD), and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD)-significantly contribute to liver-related and extrahepatic morbidity and mortality. This project aimed to assess the landscape of SLDs and clinically significant fibrosis (CSF) before (2017-2020) and during (2021-2023) the COVID-19 pandemic. Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, we analyzed 8965 prepandemic and 6337 pandemic participants aged ≥18 years. The main evaluated outcomes were changes in age-adjusted mean CSF, mean controlled attenuation parameter score, and age-adjusted prevalence of MASLD, MetALD, and ALD before and during the pandemic. The age-adjusted prevalence of SLDs changed significantly (p=0. 003) between the prepandemic and pandemic periods. ALD prevalence rose from 0. 94% to 2. 27%, MetALD from 2. 60% to 4. 42%, while MASLD declined from 30. 13% to 25. 46%. Vigorous and moderate physical activity decreased significantly (p
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | liver diseases |
| disease | MESH | liver fibrosis |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 pandemic |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Ethanol |
| disease | MESH | morbidity |
| disease | MESH | fibrosis |
| disease | MESH | Fatty Liver |