Updated
Updated · Medscape · Jul 9
Study Finds 42.1% Liver Steatosis in PMOS Referrals as Fibrosis Scores Miss Up to 83%
Updated
Updated · Medscape · Jul 9

Study Finds 42.1% Liver Steatosis in PMOS Referrals as Fibrosis Scores Miss Up to 83%

3 articles · Updated · Medscape · Jul 9

Summary

  • A cross-sectional study of 95 young women referred for PMOS evaluation found liver steatosis in 40 patients, or 42.1%, with fibrosis present in six women overall.
  • Fibrosis screening tools performed poorly in this young cohort: FIB-4 had 17% sensitivity and missed five of six fibrosis cases, while SAFE reached 40% sensitivity and still missed most cases.
  • Steatosis clustered with older age, higher BMI, higher metabolic syndrome scores, greater insulin resistance and higher white blood cell counts; elevated free testosterone was also more common, 45.9% versus 14.3%.
  • Rates of steatosis did not differ significantly between women with and without PMOS, and 95% of steatosis cases met criteria for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
  • Researchers and an outside expert said the findings support broader fatty liver screening in young women with PMOS features, while underscoring the need for age-appropriate fibrosis strategies beyond current noninvasive scores.

Insights

Could undiagnosed liver disease in women with PMOS be fueling a hidden epidemic, and are current screening strategies dangerously inadequate?
Does the new PMOS label truly improve care for women, or is it just a name change masking deeper gaps in metabolic health management?