Search Results (5,177)

Purpose: The pulmonary function test holds significant clinical value in assessing the severity, prognosis, and treatment efficacy of respiratory diseases. However, the test is limited by patient compliance, thereby limiting its practical application. Moreover, it only reflects the current state of the patient and cannot directly indicate future health trends or prognosis. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), combined with airway models built from medical image data, can assist in analyzing a patient’s ventilation function, thus addressing the aforementioned issues. However, current airway models have shortcomings in accurately representing the structural features of a patient’s airway. Additionally, these models exhibit geometric defects such as low smoothness, topological errors, and noise, which further reduce their usability. This study generates airway skeletons based on CT data and, in combination with convolutional surface technology, proposes an individualized airway modeling method to solve these deficiencies. This study also provides a method for predicting a patient’s lung function based on the constructed airway model and using CFD simulation technology. This study also explores the application of this method in preoperative prediction of the required extent of airway expansion for patients with large airway stenosis. Methods: Based on airway skeleton data extracted from patient CT images, a personalized airway model is constructed using convolutional surface technology. The airway model is simulated according to the patient’s clinical statistical values of pulmonary function to obtain airway simulation data. Finally, a regression equation is constructed between the patient’s measured pulmonary function values and the airway simulation data to predict the patient’s pulmonary function values based on the airway simulation data. Results: To preliminarily demonstrate the above method, this study used the prediction of FEV1 in patients with large airway stenosis as an example for a proof-of-concept study. A linear regression model was constructed between the outlet flow rate from the simulation of the stenosed airway and the patient’s measured FEV1 values. The linear regression model achieved a prediction result of RMSE = 0.0246 and R² = 0.9822 for the test set. Additionally, preoperative predictions were made for the degree of airway dilation needed for patients with large airway stenosis. According to the linear regression model, the proportion of airway radius expansion required at the stenotic position to achieve normal FEV1 was calculated as 72.86%. Conclusions: This study provides a method for predicting patient pulmonary function based on CFD simulation technology and convolutional surface technology. This approach addresses, to some extent, the limitations in pulmonary function testing and accuracy caused by patient compliance. Meanwhile, this study provides a method for preoperative evaluation of airway dilation therapy. Full article

Background: This study aims to establish standardized reference values for myocardial T1 and T2 relaxation times in a clinically and imaging-defined real-world patient cohort, evaluating their variability in relation to age, sex, and comorbidities. By identifying key physiological and pathological influences, this investigation seeks to enhance CMR-based myocardial mapping for improved differentiation between normal and pathological myocardial conditions. Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed T1 and T2 relaxation times using CMR at 1.5 Tesla in a cohort of 491 subjects. T1 and T2 times were measured using MOLLI and GRASE sequences, and statistical analyses assessed intra- and interindividual variations, including the influence of age, sex, and comorbidities, to establish reference values and improve myocardial tissue characterization. Results: T1 and T2 relaxation times were analyzed in 291 and 200 participants, respectively. The mean global T1 time was 1004.7 ± 49.8 ms, with no significant differences between age groups (p = 0.81) or sexes (p = 0.58). However, atrial fibrillation (AF) and mitral regurgitation (MR) were associated with significantly prolonged T1 times (p < 0.05). The mean global T2 time was 67.4 ± 8.6 ms, with age-related prolongation (p < 0.05), but no sex differences (p = 0.46). Comorbidities did not significantly influence T2 times, except for NYHA Class III–IV patients, who exhibited prolonged T2 values (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Standardized T1 and T2 reference values are essential to improve diagnostic accuracy and risk stratification in CMR-based myocardial tissue characterization. Future research should focus on multicenter validation, AI-driven analysis, and the development of age- and comorbidity-adjusted normative databases to enhance individualized cardiovascular care. Full article

Background: Chestnuts are keratinized skin structures found on equine limbs, but their characteristics in donkeys remain poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize chestnut morphology and histology in Dezhou donkeys and examine correlations with phenotypic traits. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 347 Dezhou donkeys (0.3–15 years, 79–419 kg). Chestnut dimensions were measured using precision calipers, and correlations were analyzed with age, body weight, limb measurements, and thoracolumbar vertebral counts. Histological analysis compared chestnut tissue with adjacent normal skin using standard H&E staining protocols. Results: Donkeys exclusively possessed chestnuts on forelimbs, predominantly showing regular geometric configurations. Histologically, chestnut tissue exhibited marked hyperkeratosis (>30 cellular layers vs. 4–6 in normal skin), widespread melanocyte distribution throughout the epidermis, and complete absence of cutaneous appendages. In group A, strong positive correlations were observed between chestnut width and age (r = +0.527, p < 0.01), body weight (r = +0.538, p < 0.01), and limb measurements (r > +0.589 p < 0.01). No significant correlations existed with vertebral numbers. In group B Dezhou donkeys older than 2 years, the length and width of the forelimb chestnuts showed the strongest significant correlation with right forelimb measurements, while no significant correlations were observed with other variables (age, body weight, and hindlimb measurements). Conclusions: Chestnuts in Dezhou donkeys represent specialized integumentary structures with unique histological features and strong correlations with somatic development. These findings support their potential utility as biometric markers for individual identification and indicate coordinated developmental regulation with overall growth patterns. Full article

Objectives: The FibroScan–aspartate transaminase (AST) score (FAST score) is a hybrid biomarker combining ultrasound and blood test data for identifying nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) biomarkers related to hepatic steatosis for NASH detection and to compare their diagnostic performance with the FAST score. Methods: A total of 137 participants, comprising 71 individuals with NASH and 66 with non-NASH (including 49 normal controls), underwent FibroScan and ultrasound exams. QUS imaging features (Nakagami parameter m, homodyned-K parameter μ, entropy H, and attenuation coefficient α) were extracted from backscattered radiofrequency data. A weighted QUS parameter based on m, μ, H, and α was derived via linear discriminant analysis. NASH was diagnosed based on liver biopsy findings using the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS). Diagnostic performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and compared with the FAST score using the DeLong test. Separation metrics, including the complement of overlap coefficient, Bhattacharyya distance, Kullback–Leibler divergence, and silhouette score, were used to assess inter-group separability. Results: All QUS parameters were significantly elevated in NASH patients (p < 0.05). AUROC values for individual QUS features ranged from 0.82 to 0.91, with the weighted QUS parameter achieving 0.91. The FAST score had the highest AUROC (0.96), though differences with the weighted QUS and homodyned-K parameters were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Separation metrics ranked the FAST score highest, closely followed by the weighted QUS parameter. Conclusions: QUS biomarkers can be repurposed for NASH detection, with the weighted QUS parameter offering diagnostic accuracy comparable to the FAST score and serving as a promising, blood-free alternative. Full article

Objective: Fabry disease (FD) is a rare, X-linked lysosomal storage disorder resulting from deficient α-galactosidase A activity, which can manifest as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). We aimed to assess the prevalence of FD in an unselected cohort of patients with unexplained LVH. Methods and results: We screened 202 unrelated adults with LVH using enzymatic assays for α-galactosidase A in dried blood spots. Patients with low activity underwent GLA gene sequencing. Echocardiographic parameters were evaluated according to ESC guidelines. FD was diagnosed in 4 women (2%), each carrying distinct pathogenic GLA mutations. All affected individuals showed normal or borderline enzyme activity. Cardiac, renal, or neurological symptoms were observed variably among patients. Echocardiographic findings revealed slightly lower wall thickness and preserved systolic function in FD patients compared to those without FD. Cascade genetic screening identified 16 additional family members with the same mutations. One patient (0.5%) was incidentally diagnosed with Gaucher disease based on syndromic features and enzymatic testing. Conclusions: FD was identified in 2% of patients with unexplained LVH, who were females. Enzyme-based screening followed by targeted genetic testing is a cost-effective strategy for FD detection. Early diagnosis is essential for prompt treatment and family counselling, underscoring the importance of routine FD screening in patients with LVH of unclear aetiology. Our findings support the use of targeted screening for Fabry disease in patients with LVH and systemic features, and highlight the potential to identify other lysosomal disorders in selected cases. Full article

Postprandial hyperglycemia, marked by the blood glucose level exceeding the normal range after consuming a meal, is a critical indicator of progression toward type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes and in healthy individuals. A key metric for understanding blood glucose dynamics after eating is the postprandial Area Under the Curve (AUC). Predicting postprandial AUC in advance based on a person’s lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity level, and explaining the factors that affect postprandial blood glucose could allow an individual to adjust their behavioral choices accordingly to maintain normal glucose levels. In this work, we develop an explainable machine learning solution, GlucoLens, that takes sensor-driven inputs and utilizes advanced data processing, large language models, and trainable machine learning models to estimate postprandial AUC and predict hyperglycemia from diet, physical activity, and recent glucose patterns. We use data obtained using wearables in a five-week clinical trial of 10 adults who worked full-time to develop and evaluate the proposed computational model that integrates wearable sensing, multimodal data, and machine learning. Our machine learning model takes multimodal data from wearable activity and glucose monitoring sensors, along with food and work logs, and provides an interpretable prediction of the postprandial glucose patterns. GlucoLens achieves a normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE) of 0.123 in its best configuration. On average, the proposed technology provides a 16% better predictive performance compared to the comparison models. Additionally, our technique predicts hyperglycemia with an accuracy of 79% and an F1 score of 0.749 and recommends different treatment options to help avoid hyperglycemia through diverse counterfactual explanations. With systematic experiments and discussion supported by established prior research, we show that our method is generalizable and consistent with clinical understanding. Full article

Background/Objectives: Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a relatively common inflammatory rheumatic disease of the elderly. The role of vitamin D remains unclear in this condition. The endpoints of this study were to assess 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] serum concentrations in PMR patients with active disease compared to elderly controls and to determine if baseline levels or changes following supplementation [delta 25-hydroxyvitamin D, Δ25(OH)D] were associated with improved clinical outcomes. Methods: In this retrospective, case–control study, 29 PMR patients (55% males, 75.24 ± 9.6 years old, disease duration of 3.8 ± 3 months) were included, meeting the 2012 EULAR/ACR classification criteria, with 29 age- and sex-matched controls without systemic inflammatory rheumatic diseases. We assessed demographic, clinical and laboratory features for PMR patients, including baseline 25(OH)D serum concentrations, disease activity (polymyalgia rheumatica activity score), and serum inflammatory biomarkers. A subgroup of them (n = 25) was followed longitudinally, for an average period of 21.1 ± 17.7 months, to evaluate the association between Δ25(OH)D and clinical outcomes at follow-up using multivariate logistic regression. Results: Although lower than the normal reference values, baseline 25(OH)D concentrations did not differ significantly between PMR patients and controls (21.6 ± 9.2 vs. 22.7 ± 11.3 ng/mL, p = 0.66) and did not predict long-term clinical outcomes. However, after only 3 months of supplementation, the increase in 25(OH)D concentrations was significantly associated with a remission status, and patients in remission showed a significant increase in 25(OH)D compared to those with persistent disease activity (+22.02 vs. +1.33 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.044). Notably, in the multivariate model, this Δ25(OH)D was the strongest independent predictor of remission (OR = 2.89; 95% CI [1.60–4.11]), an effect independent of prednisone dosage prescribed at first visit (p = 0.32) and glucocorticoid exposure at third month (p = 0.12). Conclusions: Individual’s response of PMR patients to supplementation of vitamin D seems to be a robust independent predictor of early clinical remission achievement. Interestingly, optimizing vitamin D supplementation based on individual responsiveness may represent a valuable adjunctive strategy in PMR management. Full article

Lean metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (lean MASLD) challenges longstanding views that link hepatic steatosis primarily to obesity. Emerging as a distinct and under-recognized clinical entity, lean MASLD affects individuals with a normal body mass index (BMI), yet carries risks of cardiovascular disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related mortality comparable to obesity-associated MASLD. The absence of overt metabolic dysfunction complicates diagnosis, revealing critical limitations in current screening frameworks centered on BMI. This review synthesizes evolving clinical insights and epidemiological trends in lean MASLD, and delineates its unique pathophysiological mechanisms. Recent advances in metabolomics have uncovered disease-specific disruptions in lipid and amino acid metabolism, bile acid signaling, and gut microbiota-derived metabolites. By integrating evidence from metabolic, genetic, and epigenetic domains, we identified promising biomarkers, and therapeutic targets that may support earlier detection and precision-guided treatment strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder affecting reproductive, metabolic, and inflammatory processes in women of reproductive age. This study explored the diagnostic potential of salivary cytokines, uric acid, and testosterone in distinguishing PCOS patients from healthy controls, as well as to examine their associations with hormonal and metabolic profiles within the PCOS group. Methods: Forty-one adolescent girls with PCOS and thirty healthy controls participated in the study. The PCOS group included both normal-weight and overweight individuals, allowing evaluation of salivary biomarkers across different nutritional statuses. Salivary levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, testosterone, and uric acid were measured and compared between the groups. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic value of each biomarker. Results: Salivary TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β showed high diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.921, 0.891, and 0.870, respectively), supporting their potential as non-invasive biomarkers. The diagnostic accuracy of salivary cytokines and testosterone remained high even in normal-weight participants, suggesting that low-grade inflammation and hormonal disturbances in PCOS are not limited to excess body weight. Salivary testosterone was strongly associated with hyperandrogenism, while uric acid correlated with the cortisol/DHEA-S ratio, indicating possible links to metabolic stress. Conclusions: In conclusion, salivary assays may offer a valuable, non-invasive tool for the early diagnosis of PCOS in adolescents, including normal-weight girls. This approach could facilitate the timely detection of inflammatory and hormonal imbalances, supporting earlier interventions and more personalized care. Full article

Background: Oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation are interconnected processes with significant roles in various chronic diseases, particularly those associated with aging, such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). Recent evidence suggests that walnuts (from Juglans regia L.), due to their rich content of phytochemicals, have antiaging potential by attenuating OS and chronic low-grade inflammation, known as inflammaging. Objectives: We aimed to assess the impact of daily walnut consumption for 4 weeks on biomarkers of OS and inflammation in a cohort of middle-aged individuals at risk of developing MetS. Methods: In this crossover randomized controlled trial (RCT), 22 participants (mean age: 48.81 ± 4.3 years) underwent two 28-day dietary interventions separated by a one-month washout period. One intervention period included daily consumption of 45 g of walnuts, while the other (control period) involved a normal-calorie diet without walnuts. Catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and interleukin (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels were determined from serum before and after each intervention period. Results: Assessment of changes obtained for the selected biomarkers following the walnut and control-diet periods (final-baseline) showed slight changes, but without any statistical significance, among the 20 participants included in the analysis. Conclusions: This first RCT targeting a group of middle-aged adults at risk of developing MetS shows that short-term (4 weeks) daily walnut consumption did not significantly alter oxidative stress and inflammation parameters, thus potentially contributing to the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of daily walnut consumption over a longer period (>3 months) on oxidative and inflammatory status in the middle-aged population and its potential to positively impact MetS biomarkers. Full article

Background: Vitamin D3 is an important factor for bone metabolism, and its deficiency may affect dental implantation results. Materials and methods: 384 patients with a diagnosis of tooth loss and vitamin D deficiency were examined and treated with dental implants. Vitamin D3 supplements were prescribed by the endocrinologist for all patients in the individual dose. The patients were divided into two equal study groups (n = 192) depending on the dental implantation period: Group 1—operation after blood serum vitamin D3 level normalization; group 2—before reaching the reference level of vitamin D3. Follow-up examinations were performed on the day of dental implantation, 7 days later, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months later, and every 1 year after treatment (up to 10 years). Implant stability and peri-implant tissue condition were assessed with clinical and X-ray diagnostics. Patients also visited an endocrinologist 2 months after the start of the treatment, then every 6 months. Results: The target vitamin D3 level (30–60 ng/mL) (p < 0.001) was achieved in all patients after treatment. At the control examinations, peri-implantitis was diagnosed in 10 patients (2.6%). It was detected in the group of patients with severe vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D deficiency—2 (25%) and 8 (3.4%) patients; respectively (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between groups for risk of complications or bone quality after treatment. Conclusions: Timely screening of vitamin D3 levels and the appropriate treatment by an endocrinologist in young and middle-aged patients allow for achieving 97.4% dental implantation success for a ten-year period. Full article

The basic tone of the human voice is generated in the larynx, which is reinforced by and derives its distinctive features from the resonance of the oral and nasal cavities An inappropriate ratio between oral and nasal resonance results in a more nasal timbre of the voice, which is referred to as nasality (hypernasality). Nasality is often present in hearing-impaired patients, and various studies have shown that hypoacusis, including partial deafness (PD), causes voice disorders as a result of disturbed control over the complex process of voice production. This study describes our investigation of nasality in 20 adult Polish patients with post-lingual partial deafness. The results show that PD patients developed more nasality in their voices when compared with individuals in the control group. Observations made 9 months after cochlear implantation for partial deafness indicated a reduction in nasality, with the changes in acoustic parameters achieving statistical significance. Background/Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether partial deafness (PD) causes changes in nasal resonance in adult patients and whether partial deafness cochlear implantation (PDCI) influences the level of nasality. Methods: Voice samples from 20 patients attending the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing in Warsaw with partial deafness were analyzed and compared with samples from 20 individuals with normal hearing. Voice samples from the same patients were comparatively analyzed at 9 months after cochlear implantation. The level of nasality was assessed using the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) for acoustic analysis, as well as subjective description by two experienced medical professionals (a medical doctor and a clinical acoustician). Pearson analysis was then performed to determine the correlations between the objective and subjective assessments. Paired two-sample t-tests for means were conducted for statistical analysis. All patients of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing in Warsaw declared their deliberate consent to all necessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures upon admittance. Results: The results show that post-lingual partial deafness causes nasality in adult patients when measured both objectively (p = 0.0001) and subjectively. The average objective level of nasality was 21 dB (SD 4.5), while the subjective level was an average grade of 1.25. The level of nasality presented a positive correlation with the duration of partial deafness. The assessment performed 9 months after cochlear implantation showed a reduction in nasality, achieving 17 dB (SD 4.2) in the objective measurement (p = 0.0002) and a grade of 0.5 when assessed subjectively. Pearson analysis showed a weak correlation between the objective measurement and subjective assessment (r = 0.2). Conclusions: Post-lingual partial deafness causes nasality in adults in a manner that is positively correlated with the duration of hearing impairment. Partial deafness cochlear implantation reduced nasality after 9 months of observation, as shown both objectively (MDVP) and subjectively (perceptual assessment). However, the correlation between the objective and subjective results is rather weak; therefore, objective acoustic methods (e.g., MDVP) should preferably be used for a more credible assessment, while the subjective method may only serve as a rough and general tool in everyday clinical use. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the skeletal and dentoalveolar effects of a fully customized elastodontic appliance with those of the traditional Twin Block appliance in growing patients with Class II malocclusion during the mixed dentition phase. Methods: A total of 35 patients were included: 18 treated with a customized elastodontic appliance (C-Ela group) and 17 with a Twin Block appliance (TB group). Digital dental models and lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained at baseline (T1) and after 12 months of treatment (T2). All patients were treated by experienced clinicians according to standardized appliance protocols. Data analysis was performed by a blinded operator using Ortho Analyzer and Dolphin Imaging software. The Shapiro–Wilk test was applied to verify the normal distribution of the data. Paired-sample t-tests were used to assess within-group changes between T1 and T2. For intergroup comparisons two-tail independent-sample t-tests were used, and chi-square tests were used for categorical variables. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Both groups showed significant intragroup improvements in overjet (C-Ela: −2.77 ± 2.07; TB: −2.30 ± 2.72 mm), overbite (C-Ela: −1.79 ± 1.95; TB: −1.40 ± 2.65 mm), and sagittal molar relationship (p < 0.05) after treatment. The C-Ela group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in anterior dental crowding (p < 0.05) and better control of upper (C-Ela: −4.93 ± 7.65°; TB: −1.80 ± 5.72°) and lower incisor inclination (C-Ela: +1.70 ± 4.80°; TB: +4.35 ± 6.22°). In intergroup comparisons, the TB group showed a significantly greater proclination of the lower incisors at T2 (L1/Go-Gn: +4.35°; L1/A-Pog: +1.44 mm), whereas the C-Ela more effectively limited these changes (L1/Go-Gn: +1.70°; L1/A-Pog: +1.18 mm). Skeletal analysis revealed an increase in ANB angle in both groups (C-Ela: −1.49 ± 2.62°; TB: −1.78 ± 2.78°), with no statistically significant intergroup differences, and no other skeletal parameters showed significant between-group changes. Conclusions: Both appliances effectively corrected Class II malocclusions. However, the customized elastodontic device provided better dentoalveolar control, particularly in managing anterior crowding and incisor inclination. Its individualized fit may enhance biomechanical precision and improve overall treatment outcomes in growing patients. Full article

This work presents an image processing algorithm for the segmentation of the personalized mapping of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) bundle trajectories in the human retina. To segment RNFL bundles, preprocessing steps were used for noise reduction and illumination correction. Blood vessels were removed. The image was fed to a maximum–minimum modulation algorithm to isolate retinal nerve fiber (RNF) segments. A modified Garway-Heath map categorizes RNF orientation, assuming designated sets of orientation angles for aligning RNFs direction. Bezier curves fit RNFs from the center of the optic disk (OD) to their corresponding end. Fundus images from five different databases (n = 300) were tested, with 277 healthy normal subjects and 33 classified as diabetic without any sign of diabetic retinopathy. The algorithm successfully traced fiber trajectories per fundus across all regions identified by the Garway-Heath map. The resulting trace images were compared to the Jansonius map, reaching an average efficiency of 97.44% and working well with those of low resolution. The average mean difference in orientation angles of the included images was 11.01 ± 1.25 and the average RMSE was 13.82 ± 1.55. A 24-2 visual field (VF) grid pattern was overlaid onto the fundus to relate the VF test points to the intersection of RNFL bundles and their entry angles into the OD. The mean standard deviation (95% limit) obtained 13.5° (median 14.01°), ranging from less than 1° to 28.4° for 50 out of 52 VF locations. The influence of optic parameters was explored using multiple linear regression. Average angle trajectories in the papillomacular region were significantly influenced (p < 0.00001) by the latitudinal optic disk position and disk–fovea angle. Given the basic biometric ground truth data (only fovea and OD centers) that is publicly accessible, the algorithm can be customized to individual eyes and distinguish fibers with accuracy by considering unique anatomical features. Full article

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) share overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms, including insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. Recent evidence suggests that Orosomucoid-2 (ORM2), an acute-phase immunomodulatory protein, may play a role in metabolic regulation; however, its specific involvement in MAFLD remains unclear. This study examined the association between circulating ORM2 levels and the severity of hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, and T2DM in a cohort of 449 adults. MAFLD was assessed using FibroScan^® with hepatic steatosis categorized by Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) scores, while plasma ORM2 levels were measured via ELISA. Statistical analyses using Spearman correlation and multiple logistic regression revealed that elevated ORM2 levels were significantly correlated with greater hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, triglycerides, ALT, and hip circumference (p < 0.001). Individuals with severe steatosis (CAP > 290 dB/m) had markedly higher ORM2 levels (312.3 ng/mL) compared to those with normal CAP scores (210.4 ng/mL; p < 0.001). ORM2 was identified as an independent predictor of steatosis severity and after adjusting for several metabolic variables (AOR = 1.005; 95% CI: 1.002–1.007). ROC analysis incorporating ORM2 and metabolic variables demonstrated strong predictive capability for MAFLD (AUC = 0.864, 95% CI: 0.825–0.902). These findings support ORM2 as a promising non-invasive diagnosis for MAFLD, involving only blood sampling without direct invasion of the liver and associated metabolic dysfunction. Full article