MASLD (formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) is the most common liver disorder: it affects 30 percent of adults and 7 percent to 14 percent of children and adolescents. This prevalence is predicted to increase to more than 55% among adults by 2040.
While previous studies have implicated disruption of the circadian clock and sleep cycle in the development of MASLD, new research from researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland has shown for the first time that the sleep-wake rhythm is indeed different in MASLD patients. than in healthy individuals.
In a paper published in the journal Frontiers in Network Physiology, the team showed that MASLD patients wake up 55 percent more often during the night than healthy volunteers, and stay awake 113 percent longer after first falling asleep. .
Patients with MASLD also slept more frequently and longer during the day.
“People with MASLD have a significant reduction in nighttime sleep due to frequent awakenings and increased alertness,” said postdoctoral researcher Dr. Sophia Schäfer at the University of Basel.
The team recruited 46 adult women and men diagnosed with either MASLD, or MASH, or MASH with cirrhosis. They were compared with eight patients who did not have MASH related to liver cirrhosis. They were also compared with 16 age-matched healthy volunteers.
Each study participant was equipped with an actigraph — a sensor worn on the wrist to track gross motor activity — to wear at all times, which tracks light, physical activity and body temperature.
Results showed that sleep patterns and quality as measured by actigraph were similarly impaired in patients with MASH, MASH with cirrhosis, and non-MASH-related cirrhosis.
Further, 32 percent of MASLD patients experienced sleep disturbances due to psychological stress, compared to only 6 percent of healthy participants.
The findings suggest that “sleep disruption plays a role in the pathogenesis of human MASLD,” Schaefer said.
Although it is not known whether MASLD causes sleep disorders or vice versa, the underlying mechanisms likely involve “genetics, environmental factors, and activation of the immune response — ultimately leading to obesity and metabolic syndrome.” is.”