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Kidney Week

Abstract: TH-PO1039

Subclinical Liver Fibrosis and Associated Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes in CKD: The CRIC Study

Session Information

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

  • 2301 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention

Authors

  • Chen, Jing, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Hamm, L. Lee, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Zhao, Cong, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Geng, Siyi, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Van Dyke, Lucy, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Richardson, Sydney L V, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Wright, Layla H., Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Morley, Grace S., Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Owens, Rebecca Jane, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Gorrepati, Geetika, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Marshall, Allison N., Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • Batuman, Vecihi, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
  • He, Jiang, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Background

Metabolic abnormalities associated with CKD may lead to liver fibrosis. We studied the incidence, risk factors, ASCVD, and mortality associated with subclinical liver fibrosis in CKD patients.

Methods

This analysis included 3,485 CKD patients from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study, excluding those with missing values. The mean follow-up was 8.2 years. The validated FIB-4 index (age × AST / (PLT × √ALT) evaluated subclinical liver fibrosis (defined as a FIB-4 >3.25). CVD and death events were adjudicated by two physicians. Cox proportional hazards models with backward selection examined risk factors for incident liver fibrosis, including CVD risk factors, eGFR, uACR, and biomarkers (inflammation, mineral bone disorder, fibrosis, and NT-proBNP). The models also assessed the link of FIB-4 with ASCVD and all-cause mortality.

Results

The average age was 62 for those with FIB-4 > 3.25 and 57 for those with FIB-4 ≤ 3.25. The age-adjusted incidence was 14.0 per 1000 person-years (17.5 for men and 10.1 for women). Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI for liver fibrosis and risk factors are shown in Table. HR (95% CI) for one SD higher FIB-4 were 1.06 (1.02, 1.11) for ASCVD and 1.07 (1.03, 1.10) for all-cause mortality, adjusted for confounders including eGFR and uACR.

Conclusion

This study indicates that age, male, mineral bone disorder, inflammation, fibrotic factors, and volume overload are independently associated with risk of subclinical liver fibrosis. Additionally, liver fibrosis was associated with ASCVD and all-cause mortality. Further studies are needed to assess liver fibrosis and related interventions in CKD.

Significant Multivariable-Adjusted Hazard Ratios of Liver Fibrosis Associated with Risk Factors
 Multivariable-adjusted 
VariablesHazard ratio (95% CI)P-value
Age, (per SD, 11 years)1.97 (1.68, 2.31)<.0001
Male2.15 (1.64, 2.81)<.0001
Alkaline phosphatase (per 1 SD, 33.91, u/L)1.14(1.01, 1.28)0.03
Log (TGF-β) (per 1SD, 0.78 ng/mL)0.86 (0.77, 0.96)0.006
Log (hsCRP) (per 1SD, 1.25 mg/L)0.79 (0.69, 0.90)0.001
Log (IL-6) (per 1SD, 0.89 pg/mL)1.16 (1.01, 1.33)0.04
Galectin-3 (per 1SD, 7.09 ng/mL)1.27 (1.12, 1.44)0.0002
Log (NT-proBNP) (per 1SD, 1.41 ng/mL)1.16 (1.01, 1.34)0.04

Funding

  • NIDDK Support