{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T02:57:01Z","timestamp":1781233021292,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,11]],"date-time":"2026-06-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781136000000},"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\/Objectives: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of MASLD in a general outpatient population, describe associated metabolic risk factors, and evaluate liver fibrosis. Methods: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study at a tertiary hospital that included adults referred there for abdominal ultrasound for non-hepatic indications. Exclusion criteria were significant alcohol intake or known liver disease. Hepatic steatosis was assessed by ultrasound in all patients, and vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) was performed in a subgroup. Clinical and laboratory data were collected. Comparisons used the chi-square test, Fisher\u2019s exact test, and the Wilcoxon test, and logistic regression identified associated factors. Results: Hepatic steatosis was identified by ultrasound in 57.6% of the 182 patients, with most (93%) fulfilling the MASLD criteria. MASLD was diagnosed in 58.2% of patients based on ultrasound or VCTE findings of steatosis. Hepatic steatosis by ultrasound was associated with higher BMI (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.18\u20131.43), hypertension (OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.04\u20133.53), glucose disorders (OR 3.33; 95% CI 1.60\u20136.92), and triglycerides (OR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00\u20131.03), while physical activity was protective (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.26\u20130.99). Among 74 patients evaluated by VCTE, 8% had fibrosis (\u2265F1), which was more frequent in those with higher BMI and a number of cardiometabolic risk factors. Conclusions: This study reveals a high prevalence of MASLD and fibrosis among outpatients, supporting the use of abdominal ultrasound for opportunistic screening of MASLD and emphasizing the need for early risk stratification and referral.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15124533","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T01:52:08Z","timestamp":1781229128000},"page":"4533","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Prevalence and Predictors of MASLD and Fibrosis in an Urban Outpatient Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9755-8593","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicol\u00e1s","family":"Ortiz-L\u00f3pez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile"},{"name":"Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Chile Clinical Hospital, Santiago 8380453, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"Simian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Chile Clinical Hospital, Santiago 8380453, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1359-8764","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M\u00e1ximo","family":"Cattaneo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Chile Clinical Hospital, Santiago 8380453, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Katherine","family":"Rojas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Chile Clinical Hospital, Santiago 8380453, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Dur\u00e1n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martina","family":"Contreras","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Diego","family":"Lizama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9831-9735","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mar\u00eda Fernanda","family":"Eyssautier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Imaging, University of Chile Clinical Hospital, Santiago 8380453, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Camila","family":"Meza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Catalina","family":"Molina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gerardo","family":"Jara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jaime","family":"Poniachik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Chile Clinical Hospital, Santiago 8380453, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1038\/s41572-025-00599-1","article-title":"Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Adults","volume":"11","author":"Huang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nat. 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