10 | The role of ultrasound in the management of elderly patients with metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease

V. Carrieri, A. Bray, C. Cupri, O. Narracci | Casa di Cura Prof Petrucciani Scuola di Ecografia SIUMB, Lecce

Introduction. The fatty liver disease (FLD) is a condition where excess fat builds up in the liver. MASLD and ALD are the main subtypes of FLD and MASH (Metabolic dysfuction Associated SteatoHepatitis) is the more advanced form and metALD is a Metabolic and Alcohol associated Liver Disease. The primary risks include alcohol, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, obesity. Other risk factors include hepatitis C and therapy with glucocorticoids. The aim of the work is to illustrate the role of Ultrasonography (US) in the management of elderly patients with FLD.

Materials and Methods. 300 elderly patients from 70 to 90 years, 150 women, 150 men, without alcohol consumption and without clinical data related to viral hepatitis, were evaluated with US.

Results. US showed diffuse increased echogenicity of the liver (steatosis grade 1 in 120 patients with obesity and dyslipidemia, steatosis grade 2 in 90 patients with diabetes, steatosis grade 3 in 70 patients with obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome.

Conclusions. In the 300 elderly patients examinated with US the prevalence of hepatosteatosis was very significant and the grade of steatosis was very elevated in the patients with metabolic syndrome. These data confirm that in the elderly patients, with diabetes or obesity or dyslipidemia, often without ymptoms , and especially in the elderly patients with metabolic syndrome, it is very important to perform abdominal US. Infact US allows to detect easily also other diseases associated with MASLD and with metabolic syndrome (cholelithiasis, chronic pancreatitis, kidney diseases associated with chronic renal failure and hypertension, abdominal aortic aneurysm ) and US monitoring increases the accuracy and efficiency of the elderly patient’s management.