Autotaxin and lysophosphatidic acid circulating levels correlate with body mass index in obese subjects with MASLD

Background: Scientific evidence supports the role of the autotaxin- lysophosphatidic acid (ATX-LPA) pathway in obesity and liver damage. The present study aim is to investigate variations in serum ATX and LPA levels across different BMI categories in a subcohort of subjects with MASLD. Methods: The study sample comprises 199 patients with liver steatosis from the most recent follow-up of the MICOL study, a prospective cohort study established in 1985, based on a random sample of the population of Castellana Grotte. Results: In adjusted model, a positive association of BMI with ATX was observed when modeled as both a continuous (β=0.018, p