Association between multiple metals exposure and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease among Chinese adults

Abstract

Background: Previous research has investigated the hepatotoxicity of single metal exposure. However, there is limited evidence about metal mixture and their association with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), particularly in the Chinese population.

Objective: To investigate the individual and combine effects of 20 metals on MAFLD in a large population in China.

Methods: This study included 3651 participants from the Medical Physical Examination Center of Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, China. MAFLD was identified based on ultrasonic graphic evidence of hepatic steatosis and the presence of overweight/obese, diabetes mellitus, or metabolic dysregulation. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine urinary concentrations of 20 metals. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between individual metal and MAFLD, with results presented as odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was performed to evaluate the combine effect of metals.

Results: The prevalence of MAFLD among the participants was 32.1 % (1173/3651). In singe-metal analysis, high exposure to zinc (OR =1.42; 95 % CI = 1.27, 1.59) and selenium (OR = 1.23; 95 % CI = 1.10, 1.39) were positively associated with MAFLD. No significant association was found for other metals. WQS regression analysis showed that urinary metal mixture was positively associated with MAFLD (OR = 1.32, 95 % CI: 1.15, 1.51), with zinc (50.4 %) being the largest contributor, followed by barium (10.8 %).

Conclusions: In conclusion, our finding suggested that exposure to the mixture of metals was positively correlated with MAFLD, with zinc being the major contributor.

Keywords: Barium; Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease; Metal mixture; Selenium; Weighted quantile sum regression; Zinc.