Clinical trials

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), commonly known as fatty liver disease, is increasingly prevalent worldwide. People living with HIV (PWH) face a higher risk of developing MASLD due to chronic immune activation and long-term antiretroviral therapy, yet whether the underlying biological changes differ from those in HIV-negative individuals with MASLD remains unknown. This prospective observational study will enroll three groups: PWH with MASLD, HIV-negative individuals with MASLD, and healthy controls without liver disease. A single fasting blood sample will be collected from each participant. Using targeted lipidomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics platforms, researchers will compare plasma molecular profiles across the three groups to identify MASLD-specific lipid signatures, characterize metabolic pathway dysregulation, and discover potential blood-based biomarkers for non-invasive diagnosis of MASLD. Findings from this study may help explain how HIV infection alters lipid metabolism in the context of MASLD and support the development of HIV-specific diagnostic tools for fatty liver disease.