The relationship between follicle-stimulating hormone and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in men

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between male hormones and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in males.

Methods: Data from the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES) were used to analyze the male hormone levels between MAFLD patients and controls. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for MAFLD. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of male hormones for MAFLD.

Result: A total of 1578 individuals were included, with 482 individuals (30.54%) of MAFLD, including 293 (18.57%) with mild disease and 189 (11.98%) with moderate-to-severe disease. The MAFLD patients were significantly older than those without MAFLD. The LH, FSH, and SHBG levels in the MAFLD patients were significantly greater than those in the control group. Age, FSH, LH, SHBG, and estradiol were all risk factors for MAFLD. Age, FSH, and LH were risk factors for moderate-to-severe MAFLD. FSH was an independent risk factor for MAFLD and moderate-to-severe MAFLD. FSH showed an excellent diagnostic value, with an AUC of 0.992 alone and 0.996 after adjusting age.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that FSH may be a potential diagnostic and predictive biomarker for MAFLD.

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram to show the enrollment of the participants.

FAMHES Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey, HBV hepatitis B virus, MAFLD metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

Fig. 2. ROC curves of male hormones for MAFLD.

ROC curves of male hormones without (A) or with age adjustment (B). E2 estradiol, FSH follicle-stimulating hormone, LH luteinizing hormone, SHBG sex hormone-binding globulin, TT total testosterone. AUCs are presented as AUC (95% CI).