Lipids & metabolic liver disease
Associations between use of aspirin and magnetic resonance imaging‐derived liver fat and fibroinflammation
Authors' conclusion
In this large population-based cohort, aspirin use was linked to reduced liver fat, but a small, clinically insignificant (i.e., <80 ms) increase in cT1. These findings suggest aspirin may mitigate steatosis through metabolic pathways but does not necessarily rapidly reverse fibroinflammatory injury.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank imaging cohort participants; mean age 64.6 years, 51.4% female
- Participants
- 36,413 participants
- Exposure
- Aspirin use vs no aspirin use; longitudinal aspirin use patterns vs never users
- Outcome
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived liver fat (%) and corrected T1 (cT1, ms)
Methodological detailsUK Biobank imaging cohort, multivariable adjustment, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)
- UK Biobank imaging cohort
- Multivariable adjustment
- Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Aspirin use at imaging assessment: liver fat and cT1
Aspirin use vs No aspirin useDifference in liver fat, % (95% CI)
Lower liver fat with aspirin
−0.35(−0.51 to −0.20)
Aspirin use vs No aspirin useDifference in cT1, ms (95% CI)
Slightly higher cT1 with aspirin
5.13(3.23–7.03)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Difference in liver fat (%) (CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Longitudinal aspirin use patterns vs never users: liver fat and cT1Initiatorsvs Never usersLower liver fat · IPTW analyses showed consistent results | −0.48 (−0.69 to −0.28) | |
| Longitudinal aspirin use patterns vs never users: liver fat and cT1Persistent usersvs Never usersLower liver fat · IPTW analyses showed consistent results | −0.24 (−0.45 to −0.02) | |
| −1−0.500.5Difference, % (linear scale) |
| Outcome | Difference in cT1 (ms) (CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Longitudinal aspirin use patterns vs never users: liver fat and cT1Initiatorsvs Never usersHigher cT1 · IPTW analyses showed consistent results | 2.94 (0.38–5.49) | |
| Longitudinal aspirin use patterns vs never users: liver fat and cT1Persistent usersvs Never usersHigher cT1 · IPTW analyses showed consistent results | 8.31 (5.65–10.97) | |
| −5051015Difference, ms (linear scale) |
Original publication
Associations between use of aspirin and magnetic resonance imaging‐derived liver fat and fibroinflammation. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 18 February 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →