The impact of metabolic associated steatotic liver disease on cardiovascular pathology in children and adolescents
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52556/2587-3873.2025.2(104).11Keywords:
metabolic associated steatotic liver disease, cardiacfunction, atherosclerosis, childrenAbstract
The liver and the heart, the two vital organs of the human body, although distinct in structure, function and metabolism, interact with each other in a unique manner, whereby acute and chronic dysfunction of one affects the other. Liver lesions affect the physiology, structure and function of the myocardium and, conversely, myocardial pathology affects the physiology and function of the liver. About 84 papers were analyzed regarding the association between liver and cardiovascular pathology in children and adolescents, from which 32 relevant articles were selected. This review provides the basic clinical framework needed to identify cardiovascular pathologies associated with the diverse spectrum of pediatric liver diseases in children and adolescents. Liver-heart interactions in children have some distinct differences from those observed in adults, and knowledge of this interaction is essential to optimize early diagnosis and medical interventions and to increase in pediatric liver and heart pathology. The analysis of selected articles demonstrated that children with metabolic associated steatotic liver disease are at risk of early atherosclerotic changes and cardiac abnormalities. Long-term longitudinal studies are needed to determine the extent in pediatric non-infectious liver pathology and the severity of influence on long-term cardiovascular growth in the general population. Evolution of development of complex cardio-hepatic pathologies in pediatric age such as fatty liver disease, cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, a direct comorbid consequence of end-stage cirrhotic liver disease, pulmonary vascular consequences of chronic cirrhosis, hemodynamic consequences of complex acute liver failure for the prevention of complex acute liver failure.
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