{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:50:41Z","timestamp":1787028641550,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"23","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,24]],"date-time":"2023-11-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1700784000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Aims: The prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases, particularly metabolic syndrome (MetS), has increased among the prison population. Nevertheless, we have limited data on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the hepatic manifestation of this syndrome. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of MASLD and MASLD-associated liver fibrosis in the penitentiary population in Catalonia, Spain. Method: A cross-sectional observational study involving eight penitentiary centers. Participants had at least one metabolic disorder and were at a closed-regimen penitentiary. Individuals with concomitant liver diseases and\/or alcohol risk consumption were excluded. Significant fibrosis and MASLD were defined as liver stiffness \u22658 kPa and a controlled attenuation parameter \u2265275 dB\/m by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), respectively. After exclusions, metabolic inmates with VCTE were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of MASLD and MASLD-associated significant fibrosis. Results: Out of the 4338 inmates studied, 1290 (29.7%) had metabolic disorders, and 646 (14.9%) underwent VCTE. The mean age was 48.0 years (SD 12.1), and 89.5% were male. MASLD prevalence was 33.9%. Significant fibrosis and MASLD-associated significant fibrosis were found in 16.4% and 9.4% of inmates, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, T2D, waist circumference, MetS, and higher ALT values were identified as independent risk factors for MASLD and MASLD-associated significant fibrosis amongst the prison population. Conclusions: Metabolic disorders including MASLD are highly prevalent among inmates. The prevalence of significant fibrosis seems notably higher than that of the general population, underscoring the need for targeted screening programs and therapeutic interventions in the incarcerated population.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm12237276","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,24]],"date-time":"2023-11-24T03:54:35Z","timestamp":1700798075000},"page":"7276","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Prevalence and Risk Factors of MASLD and Liver Fibrosis amongst the Penitentiary Population in Catalonia: The PRISONAFLD Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4357-8817","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jes\u00fas","family":"Rivera-Esteban","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Liver Unit, Vall d\u2019Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d\u2019Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d\u2019Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alba","family":"Jim\u00e9nez-Masip","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liver Unit, Vall d\u2019Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d\u2019Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d\u2019Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0663-0575","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sergio","family":"Mu\u00f1oz-Mart\u00ednez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liver Unit, Vall d\u2019Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d\u2019Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d\u2019Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Salvador","family":"Augustin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liver Unit, Vall d\u2019Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d\u2019Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d\u2019Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rafael A.","family":"Guerrero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Prison Health Program, Catalan Institute of Health, 08908 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3079-6364","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pablo","family":"Gabriel-Medina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Clinical Biochemistry Department, Vall d\u2019Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roser","family":"Ferrer-Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Clinical Biochemistry Department, Vall d\u2019Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9128-7013","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francisco","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-Fr\u00edas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Clinical Biochemistry Department, Vall d\u2019Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elisabet","family":"Turu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Prison Health Program, Catalan Institute of Health, 08908 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e9s","family":"Marco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Prison Health Program, Catalan Institute of Health, 08908 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Ciber de Epidemiolog\u00eda y Salud P\u00fablica (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juan M.","family":"Peric\u00e0s","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liver Unit, Vall d\u2019Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d\u2019Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d\u2019Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Medicine, Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Centros de Investigaci\u00f3n Biom\u00e9dica en Red, Enfermedades Hep\u00e1ticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 28029 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"name":"on behalf of the PRISONAFLD Study Group 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