Photo Credit: Mohammed Haneefa Nizamudeen

The following is a summary of “Aggregate index of systemic inflammation tied to increased fatty liver disease risk: insights from NHANES data,” published in the May 2025 issue of BMC Gastroenterology by Zhang et al. 

Fatty liver disease (FLD), marked by hepatic lipid buildup, impaired quality of life, and could progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, creating a significant healthcare burden.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the association between the aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI) and FLD prevalence and to assess AISI as a potential early biomarker for assessment of risk.  

They obtained data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database covering 2017 to 2020. Participants were selected based on available controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) scores from transient elastography (TE) used to assess liver steatosis. The AISI was calculated using the formula AISI = N × P × M / L, where N, P, M, and L represent neutrophils, platelets, monocytes, and lymphocytes, respectively. Demographic, socioeconomic, dietary, and health-related data were also collected. Logistic regression models identified risk factors for FLD, and a nomogram was developed to predict FLD risk.  

The results showed that among 3,961 participants, 2,377 (60.0%) had FLD based on a CAP score ≥ 248 dB/m. Elevated AISI was significantly linked to FLD (P = 0.021). Additional significant risk factors included sex, age, body mass index (BMI), race, marital status, hypertension, and diabetes. The nomogram displayed strong discrimination with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.814 (95% CI: 0.800, 0.827) and demonstrated good calibration.  

Investigators concluded that an elevated AISI was independently linked to increased FLD risk and showed promise as a supplementary, cost-effective screening biomarker. 

Source: bmcgastroenterol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12876-025-03998-6