Ann Hepatol. 2026 Jun 12:102252. doi: 10.1016/j.aohep.2026.102252. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Impaired muscle strength is increasingly recognized as an integrative marker of metabolic dysfunction and adverse prognosis. This study aimed to examine the associations between grip strength and cause-specific mortality in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cohort study included 92,263 individuals with MASLD from the UK Biobank. Grip strength was categorized into sex-specific tertiles. We used Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic splines to assess associations between grip strength and the risks of mortality, including all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality (cardiovascular, extrahepatic cancer, liver, and diabetes-related mortality).
RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 13.3 years, 9923 deaths were documented. Restricted cubic splines indicated that grip strength showed linear associations with both all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality. Compared to high grip strength, low grip strength was associated with increased risks of all-cause mortality (HR=1.36, 95% CI 1.28-1.43), cardiovascular-related mortality (HR=1.54, 95% CI 1.28-1.87), cancer-related mortality (HR=1.25, 95% CI 1.14-1.38), liver-related mortality (HR=1.76, 95% CI 1.08-2.87) and diabetes-related mortality (HR=2.40, 95% CI 1.36-4.23). These associations were generally consistent across age and sex subgroups. Notably, the protective association between high grip strength and reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality was more pronounced in participants aged ≥60 years (HR=0.86, 95% CI 0.82-0.91) compared to those <60 years (HR=0.96, 95% CI 0.88-1.04).
CONCLUSIONS: Lower grip strength was associated with increased risks of all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in patients with MASLD. Muscle strength management may be considered as part of the care strategy for MASLD patients.
PMID:42285226 | DOI:10.1016/j.aohep.2026.102252