Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40631608›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of clinical investigation2025

Higher afamin concentrations are associated with higher fatty liver indices: Population-based KORA F4/FF4 study.

Corinna Niersmann, Anna Zhu, Haifa Maalmi, Xinting Cai, Jana Nano, Wolfgang Rathmann, Wolfgang Koenig, Toshinari Takamura, Barbara Kollerits, Hans Dieplinger and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of clinical investigation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Corinna NiersmannInstitute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Anna ZhuInstitute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Haifa MaalmiInstitute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Xinting CaiInstitute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
Jana NanoInstitute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
Wolfgang RathmannGerman Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.
Wolfgang KoenigGerman Center for Cardiovascular Disease Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany.
Toshinari TakamuraDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kanazawa University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan.
Barbara KolleritsInstitute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Hans DieplingerInstitute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Annette PetersGerman Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.
Michael RodenInstitute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Florian KronenbergInstitute of Genetic Epidemiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2229-1120
Barbara ThorandGerman Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.
Christian HerderInstitute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.

Funding

German Diabetes Association (DDG)German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)German Federal Ministry of Health (Berlin, Germany)Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Düsseldorf, Germany)State of Bavaria
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevious studies suggest that afamin is associated with steatotic liver diseases (SLD). However, the exact role of afamin in SLD development and fibrogenesis remains unclear. Potential modifying effects of sex and glucose tolerance status have also not been examined. Therefore, we investigated the associations of afamin with steatotic liver diseases and fibrosis defined by non-invasive tests and assessed for possible effect modifications.

methodsThis study included 3080 participants from the population-based KORA F4/FF4 cohort. Cross-sectional and prospective associations (follow-up time 6.5 years) between afamin and NAFLD liver fat score (NAFLD LFS), hepatic steatosis index, fatty liver index and the fibrosis-4 index were assessed using multiple linear regression models. Models were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, metabolic parameters, medication and subclinical inflammation.

resultsIn the cross-sectional analysis, afamin concentrations were positively associated with NAFLD LFS (β = .32; 95% CI .27-.37), hepatic steatosis index (β = .33; 95% CI .26-.39) and fatty liver index (β = 1.78; 95% CI 1.47-2.08) (all p < .001), but not with fibrosis-4 index. In the prospective analysis, higher afamin levels were associated with a higher increase only in NAFLD LFS (p < .001). Cross-sectional and prospective associations between afamin and NAFLD LFS were more pronounced in men than in women (p

conclusionHigher afamin concentrations are positively associated with NAFLD LFS with potential effect modification by sex and glucose tolerance status.

Indexed as

Liver CirrhosisNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLinear ModelsMaleMiddle AgedProspective Studiesafaminfatty liver indicesfibrosisMASLDSLD

Identifiers

PMID40631608
PMCPMC12621296

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.