Photo Credit: Rodrusoleg

The prevalence of steatotic liver disease (SLD) in essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV) patients is like the rate found in the general population, according to a recent pilot study led by researchers in the Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Sibenik-Knin County, Sibenik, Croatia. The study included 108 total patients (64 ET, 44 PV). Patients ranged in age from 21 to 92, with a median age of 70.5, and 63% were females. Baseline SLD presence, defined ultrasonographically, was detected in 23.1% of patients, with no associations of SLD with any of the clinical lab patient characteristics found. Further, baseline ultrasonographic presence of SLD showed no impact on future thrombotic, bleeding, and disease transformation risk, nor patient survival. During follow-ups with patients, researchers conducted a median time of 69 months after baseline assessment, researchers found that no patients experienced signs of liver failure. Based on their findings, the researchers concluded SLD has no impact on clinical outcomes in patients with ET and PV.