ArticleCureus2025
Prevalence of Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP)-Assessed Hepatic Steatosis as a Possible Indicator of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) Risk in Healthy Medical Students: A Cohort Study From South India.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundThe prevalence of hepatic steatosis is increasing worldwide, and it is now recognized as a leading hepatic sign of metabolic syndrome. The optimal approach for screening hepatic steatosis in asymptomatic populations remains unclear. The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), measured via transient elastography, has emerged as a non-invasive, reliable tool for quantifying liver fat. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of CAP-assessed hepatic steatosis among healthy medical students in South India.
methodsIn this cohort study, 688 medical students aged ≥18 years with no significant alcohol consumption underwent transient elastography (FibroScan®; Echosens, Paris, France) to assess liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and CAP. Hepatic steatosis was defined as CAP ≥238 dB/m. Anthropometric parameters were recorded, and correlations with CAP were evaluated using Spearman's coefficient. Independent predictors were identified via multivariable linear regression.
resultsThe mean participant age was 20.5 ± 1.1 years; 60.6% were female. The prevalence of CAP-assessed liver steatosis, defined as CAP ≥238 dB/m, was 23.1% (n=159). CAP values showed significant correlations with body mass index (BMI) (r=0.38, p<0.001), waist circumference (r=0.37, p<0.001), and hip circumference (r=0.32, p<0.001). Multivariable analysis identified BMI as the only independent predictor of CAP (β=4.78, p<0.001).
conclusionThe findings of this study show that hepatic steatosis is prevalent even among young, evidently healthy adults. CAP measurement using FibroScan cannot substitute for a full MAFLD diagnosis without metabolic criteria; however, it can be an effective, non-invasive tool for early detection of hepatic steatosis and may have utility in screening asymptomatic populations.
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