Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42866409›Full record

ArticleTranslational gastroenterology and hepatology2026

Exploratory analysis of serum FGF-21 and CK-18 as biomarkers for ultrasound-detected MASLD in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a UAE multicenter study.

Abeer Alhaj, Bashair M Mussa, Poorna Manasa Bhamidimarri, Mohsin Sulaiman, Dana Ahmed Rashwan, Oraib Alfarahid, Rasha Talieb Wahbea, Lana Adra, Tabarak Haamid Elbo-Iswadi, Khadija Hafidh and 1 more

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Article in Translational gastroenterology and hepatology, 2026. 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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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Abeer AlhajCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6636-2870
Bashair M MussaCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1554-6319
Poorna Manasa BhamidimarriResearch Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.
Mohsin SulaimanCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1257-3151
Dana Ahmed RashwanCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4662-6400
Oraib AlfarahidThe National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Rasha Talieb WahbeaCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.
Lana AdraDiabetes and Internal Medicine Department, Rashid Hospital, Dubai, UAE.
Tabarak Haamid Elbo-IswadiDiabetes and Internal Medicine Department, Rashid Hospital, Dubai, UAE.
Khadija HafidhDiabetes and Internal Medicine Department, Rashid Hospital, Dubai, UAE.
Salah AbusnanaCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6546-8622

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, particularly among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This exploratory multicenter study evaluated the association and diagnostic performance of the serum biomarkers cytokeratin 18 fragment M30 (CK-18 M30) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) in T2DM patients with and without ultrasound-detected MASLD. Methods: A multicenter case-control observational study was conducted on a total of 125 T2DM patients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Two groups of T2DM patients, MASLD and non-MASLD, were recruited for investigation of different serum biomarkers. An overnight fasting blood sample was collected for investigation of two biomarkers, including CK-18 M30 and FGF-21. Results: The study included 125 participants (mean age 55.9±8.9 years; 52.8% female). A subset of 66 participants was analyzed for serum biomarkers (FGF-21 and CK-18). Overall, 50.4% were obese (body mass index >30 kg/m Conclusions: Dyslipidemia and uncontrolled HbA1c were significantly associated with MASLD in T2DM patients. FGF-21 levels were higher in MASLD patients; however, its diagnostic performance was modest, and it was not independently associated with MASLD after multivariate adjustment.

Indexed as

cytokeratin 18 fragment M30 (CK-18 M30)fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21)Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)

Identifiers

PMID42866409
PMCPMC13657700

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