Cardiovascular risk and mitochondrial dysfunction in liver diseases

The overall objective is to advance the clinical and molecular characterization of patients with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and drug-induced steatosis (DIS), with particular attention to their relationship with cardiovascular risk and mitochondrial dysfunction as a shared pathophysiological link. MASLD represents one of the most prevalent causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. Its biological and clinical complexity requires an integrative approach that considers not only hepatic manifestations but also extrahepatic complications, particularly cardiovascular risk, as cardiovascular events are the leading cause of death in these patients. One of our objectives is to perform comprehensive phenotyping of patients with liver disease, integrating hepatic and cardiovascular clinical parameters, as well as genetic and metabolic factors. Currently, the marked heterogeneity among patients with MASLD, as well as those with DILI and its steatotic form (DIS), hampers risk stratification, therapeutic decision-making and prognostic prediction. The identification of specific clinico-biological phenotypes is therefore essential to advance towards precision hepatology.