Verona Liver Day: Data of Liver Health from the Arena

Background Liver diseases affect millions of people worldwide, with different etiologies between countries. The incidence of viral hepatitis is waning as a result of advances in prevention and new therapies. In contrast, with the improvement in living standards, the incidence of metabolic liver diseases including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcohol-related liver disease is set to rise. Aim On the 14th of May 2022 the Liver Unit Team of Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona organized a “Liver Day” for the general population with educational and preventive aim. Using a mobile medical center with an ultrasound scanner, a fibroscan and HCV test kits, 110 people were visited and screened. Many other people had only information. Results From the anamnestic data collected, alcohol consumption (> 100 g/week) was detected in 36.5%, hypertension in treatment in 39%, dyslipidemia in 35.6%, type 2 diabetes in 6.7% of our population. We confirmed HCV Ab in 6 patients, nobody with unknown HCV was detected. Based on these collected data, a sample of people was subjected to a fibroscan method and/or an abdominal ultrasound and 40% had steatosis. MAFLD was detected in 28.7% of cases. Liver stiffness (LS) measured with Fibroscan was 5.11±1.28 kPa; only one patient had LS> 8 kPa. LS was higher in MAFLD group. MAFLD patients (n=30) had higher BMI (median BMI 28.3 (IQR 5.10) vs 23.7 (IQR 4.50) and higher waist circumference (median 99±14.18 vs 87±15.20 cm). Conclusions Data from Verona general population confirms the relevant prevalence of risk factors (alcohol and MAFLD) which can lead to chronic liver disease. Liver diseases affect millions of people worldwide, with different etiologies between countries. The incidence of viral hepatitis is waning as a result of advances in prevention and new therapies. In contrast, with the improvement in living standards, the incidence of metabolic liver diseases including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcohol-related liver disease is set to rise. On the 14th of May 2022 the Liver Unit Team of Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona organized a “Liver Day” for the general population with educational and preventive aim. Using a mobile medical center with an ultrasound scanner, a fibroscan and HCV test kits, 110 people were visited and screened. Many other people had only information. From the anamnestic data collected, alcohol consumption (> 100 g/week) was detected in 36.5%, hypertension in treatment in 39%, dyslipidemia in 35.6%, type 2 diabetes in 6.7% of our population. We confirmed HCV Ab in 6 patients, nobody with unknown HCV was detected. Based on these collected data, a sample of people was subjected to a fibroscan method and/or an abdominal ultrasound and 40% had steatosis. MAFLD was detected in 28.7% of cases. Liver stiffness (LS) measured with Fibroscan was 5.11±1.28 kPa; only one patient had LS> 8 kPa. LS was higher in MAFLD group. MAFLD patients (n=30) had higher BMI (median BMI 28.3 (IQR 5.10) vs 23.7 (IQR 4.50) and higher waist circumference (median 99±14.18 vs 87±15.20 cm). Data from Verona general population confirms the relevant prevalence of risk factors (alcohol and MAFLD) which can lead to chronic liver disease.