Article
Open Access
Volume 6 · Issue 1 · 2026
pp. 17–20
Early Vascular Remodeling and Hemorheological Alterations in Biopsy-Proven MASLD
Şerife Sivridemir1 
, Mustafa Yaşan2 , Gökmen Zararsız3 , Sacide Yıldız Taşkıran4 , Serap Doğan5 , Ali Doğan6 , Mustafa Alper Yurci7
, Mustafa Yaşan2 , Gökmen Zararsız3 , Sacide Yıldız Taşkıran4 , Serap Doğan5 , Ali Doğan6 , Mustafa Alper Yurci7
1
Department of Medical Oncology, Osmaniye Training and Research Hospital, Osmaniye, Türkiye
2
Department of Cardiology, VM Medicalpark Hospital, Samsun, Türkiye
3
Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Türkiye
4
Department of Physiology, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Türkiye
5
Department of Radiology, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Türkiye
6
Department of Cardiology, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Türkiye
7
Department of Gastroenterology, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Türkiye
Abstract
Objectives: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is increasingly associated with cardio-vascular complications and early vascular injury. This study evaluated carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT) and its association with hemorheological parameters in patients with biopsy-proven MASLD.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 25 patients with histologically confirmed metabolic dysfunction-associat-ed steatohepatitis (MASH) and 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. CIMT was assessed using high-resolution ul-trasonography. Whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity were measured using a rotational viscometer at shear rates of 45 s⁻¹ and 225 s⁻¹. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to determine independent predictors of CIMT. Results: Patients with MASLD had significantly higher CIMT values than controls (0.92±0.16 mm vs. 0.76±0.13 mm, p=0.002). Whole blood viscosity at both shear rates was significantly increased in the MASLD group, whereas plasma viscosity did not differ significantly. In multivariable analyses, systolic blood pressure and waist circumference indepen-dently predicted CIMT, while hemorheological parameters were not independently associated with CIMT. Conclusion: Biopsy-proven MASLD is associated with increased CIMT and altered hemorheological profiles, supporting the presence of early vascular remodeling and increased cardiovascular risk.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 25 patients with histologically confirmed metabolic dysfunction-associat-ed steatohepatitis (MASH) and 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. CIMT was assessed using high-resolution ul-trasonography. Whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity were measured using a rotational viscometer at shear rates of 45 s⁻¹ and 225 s⁻¹. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to determine independent predictors of CIMT. Results: Patients with MASLD had significantly higher CIMT values than controls (0.92±0.16 mm vs. 0.76±0.13 mm, p=0.002). Whole blood viscosity at both shear rates was significantly increased in the MASLD group, whereas plasma viscosity did not differ significantly. In multivariable analyses, systolic blood pressure and waist circumference indepen-dently predicted CIMT, while hemorheological parameters were not independently associated with CIMT. Conclusion: Biopsy-proven MASLD is associated with increased CIMT and altered hemorheological profiles, supporting the presence of early vascular remodeling and increased cardiovascular risk.
Keywords: Blood viscosity, cardiovascular risk, carotid intima-media thickness, MASLD, subclinical atherosclerosis
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