Medical Bulletin 20/September/2025

To better understand which of these risk factors most strongly predict mortality in MASLD patients, researchers analyzed data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), spanning from 1988 to 2018. Out of more than 134,000 participants aged 20 and older, about 21,000 met the criteria for MASLD. Researchers tracked all-cause mortality rates in relation to individual risk factors.

The study found that high blood pressure increased the risk of death by 40%, diabetes or pre-diabetes by 25%, and low HDL by 15%.

Dr. Matthew Dukewich, lead author of the study, noted, “Until now, it was commonly thought that diabetes was the most pressing health problem for MASLD patients, which is a key insight.”

Obesity, while the most common risk factor, also showed increased mortality risk depending on body mass index (BMI). Moreover, the study found that each additional cardiometabolic risk factor raised the risk of death by 15%.

Looking forward, the authors plan to explore the influence of genetics, diet, and alcohol use on MASLD outcomes.

Reference: Differential Effects of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors on All-Cause Mortality in US Adults with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), Dukewich, Matthew et al. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Volume 0, Issue 0

How Everyday Microplastics Could Be Impacting Your Bone Health?

A new study published in Osteoporosis International reveals a growing concern in medical science: microplastics may be harming bone health. Supported by FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation), the study reviewed 62 scientific articles and found that plastic particles, found everywhere from oceans to drinking water, can negatively impact bone structure, especially by impairing bone marrow stem cells and promoting bone resorption.

The environmental and health consequences of plastic pollution have been widely documented. More than 400 million tons of plastic are produced annually, contributing around 1.8 billion tons of greenhouse gases. But the health impact extends beyond climate and ecosystems. Tiny plastic particles from clothing, furniture, packaging, and other items can be inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin, and have already been found in human blood, breast milk, the placenta, and even brain tissue.

In the study, researchers highlighted that microplastics may reach deep tissues, including the bone marrow. The methodology involved a literature review and in vitro experiments with bone tissue cells. Findings showed that microplastics can reduce cell viability, accelerate aging, disrupt cell differentiation, and promote inflammation. In animal studies, accelerated osteoclast senescence—a process where bone-degrading cells age rapidly—was linked to structural deformities, weakened bones, and even halted skeletal growth.

"Most strikingly, a significant body of research suggests that microplastics can reach deep into bone tissue, such as bone marrow, and potentially cause disturbances in its metabolism," explains Rodrigo Bueno de Oliveira, coordinator of the Laboratory for Mineral and Bone Studies in Nephrology (LEMON) at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil.

“In this study, the adverse effects observed culminated, worryingly, in the interruption of the animals' skeletal growth,” said Oliveira.

With osteoporosis-related fractures projected to rise 32% by 2050, this research could offer critical insight into how environmental pollutants contribute to worsening bone health.

Reference: Pelepenko, L. E., et al. (2025). Effects of microplastics on the bones: a comprehensive review. Osteoporosis International. doi.org/10.1007/s00198-025-07580-4

This Simple Test May Detect 90% of Colorectal Cancers

A recent study published in Cell Host & Microbe reveals a new approach for early detection of colorectal cancer using gut microbiota analysis powered by machine learning. Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have developed a non-invasive, cost-effective method based on stool samples that could significantly improve early diagnosis, offering an alternative to colonoscopies, which, despite their effectiveness, are often delayed due to cost and discomfort.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. While early detection can drastically improve outcomes, traditional screening methods remain underutilized. The new study harnesses advances in bioinformatics and microbial profiling to identify colorectal cancer with high accuracy by examining bacterial subspecies in the gut.

The research team first created the most comprehensive catalogue to date of human gut microbiota subspecies.

Using this catalogue, the researchers trained a machine learning model that identified 90% of colorectal cancer cases from stool samples—comparable to the 94% detection rate of colonoscopies and better than current non-invasive tests.

“Instead of relying on the analysis of the various species composing the microbiota, which does not capture all meaningful differences, or of bacterial strains, which vary greatly from one individual to another, we focused on an intermediate level of the microbiota, the subspecies,” explains Mirko Trajkovski, full professor in the Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism and in the Diabetes Centre at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine, who led the research. “The subspecies resolution is specific and can capture the differences in how bacteria function and contribute to diseases including cancer, while remaining general enough to detect these changes among different groups of individuals, populations, or countries.”

A clinical trial is underway with Geneva University Hospitals to refine the method further. Beyond cancer, the technology may pave the way for diagnostics across a range of diseases linked to gut health. “The same method could soon be used to develop non-invasive diagnostic tools for a wide range of diseases, all based on a single microbiota analysis,” concludes Trajkovski.

Reference: Matija Tričković, Silas Kieser, Evgeny M. Zdobnov, Mirko Trajkovski. Subspecies of the human gut microbiota carry implicit information for in-depth microbiome research. Cell Host, 2025; 33 (8): 1446 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2025.07.015