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Active, not recruitingNCT07053709SUMAUpdated Nov 5, 2026

Screening for Hyperuricemia in Patients With Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD)

An observational study in Hyperuricemia and MAFLD, sponsored by Assiut University. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Egypt. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-05.

Sponsored by Assiut University · Observational

Updated Nov 5, 2026Now Active, not recruitingFirst site in Egypt+4 moreGo to Updates ↓
Study type
Observational
Model
Case-only
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
200
Ages
18 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Due to the established correlation between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), this study aims to screen for hyperuricemia in all patients diagnosed with MAFLD.

The ultimate goal is to support the management of MAFLD and improve patients' quality of life by reducing both morbidity and mortality.

Read the detailed description

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become increasingly prevalent in recent years and is now considered a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, representing a major global public health challenge.

This growing prevalence is largely attributed to changes in lifestyle and dietary habits, making NAFLD the most common chronic liver condition globally, with an estimated global prevalence of 30.1%.

Recently, an international expert consensus proposed redefining NAFLD as metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) to better reflect the disease's underlying metabolic basis. The diagnosis of MAFLD is based on the presence of hepatic steatosis in more than 5% of hepatocytes, in the absence of excessive alcohol intake or other causes of chronic liver disease. The diagnosis also requires at least one of the following three criteria: (1) overweight or obesity, (2) type 2 diabetes mellitus, or (3) evidence of metabolic dysregulation. Metabolic dysregulation is defined by the presence of at least two of the following abnormalities: increased waist circumference, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia, prediabetes, insulin resistance, or elevated plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

"Burned-out" NAFLD has been suggested as a potential hidden cause of cryptogenic cirrhosis. Therefore, early detection and management of NAFLD and its metabolic risk factors are critical to prevent disease progression and hepatic failure.

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of purine metabolism in the liver, with xanthine oxidase (XO) catalyzing the conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine and subsequently to UA.

Abnormal UA metabolism is associated with various systemic diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia.

In recent years, increased interest has been directed toward the relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and NAFLD severity. SUA has been identified as an independent risk factor significantly correlated with NAFLD severity, regardless of other metabolic markers. Studies have shown a 21% increase in NAFLD risk for every 1 mg/dL rise in SUA, and hyperuricemia is associated with a higher risk of advanced liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients.

Given the strong association between SUA levels and NAFLD progression, SUA-lowering therapy has emerged as a potential strategy for improving liver outcomes. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors, such as febuxostat and allopurinol, are commonly used to reduce SUA levels and have shown promise in improving liver histology in patients with NAFLD

02

Conditions studied

  • Hyperuricemia and MAFLD

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03

In context

Hyperuricemia

240 studies on the registry are indexed under Hyperuricemia; 44 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 200 is close to the median of 183 across 40 observational studies indexed under Hyperuricemia.

Browse Hyperuricemia studies →

Lead sponsor

Assiut University is the lead sponsor of 5,078 studies on the registry; 2,178 are open to participants now.

Of its 14 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Adult patients with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) were enrolled. Data collected included demographics, clinical history (comorbidities such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension), lifestyle factors (including alcohol intake), anthropometric measures (BMI, waist circumference), blood tests (uric acid, liver enzymes, lipid profile, CBC, HbA1c, hs-CRP, viral markers), and imaging by transient elastography (FibroScan with CAP).

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adults aged over 18 years.
  • Diagnosis of MAFLD based on abdominal ultrasonography or other validated imaging techniques.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients aged 18 years or younger.
  • Pregnant individuals.
  • Presence of any .
  • Diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).
  • Patients with fatty liver disease who have previously undergone bariatric surgery.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

05

Study design

Observational model
Case-only
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
200 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No
Biospecimen retention
Samples without dna
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Search for hyperuricemia in every patient with MAFLD

    1. Prevalence of Hyperuricemia in Patients with MAFLD Description:Number of participants diagnosed with hyperuricemia based on serum uric acid levels.Time Frame:At diagnosis and 6-month follow-up, Unit of Measure:Number of participants 2. Mean Serum Uric Acid Level Description:Average serum uric acid concentration among study participants. Time Frame:At diagnosis and 6-month follow-up, Unit of Measure:mg/dL 3. Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Level Description:Mean ALT level to assess liver function. Time Frame: At diagnosis and 6-month follow-up. Unit of Measure: IU/L 4. Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Level Description:Mean AST level to assess liver function.Time Frame:At diagnosis and 6-month follow-upUnit of Measure:IU/L 5. Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) Level Description:Mean ALP level to assess liver function.Time Frame:At diagnosis and 6-month follow-up. Unit of Measure:IU/L 6. Serum Albumin Level:Mean serum albumin concentration.Time Frame:At diagnosis and 6-month follow up.

    Time frame: At diagnosis and follow up after 6 month

07

Study locations

1 site
08

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Status
Not yet recruiting→Active, not recruiting
changed Nov 5, 2026
Sites
1 site added — first site in Egypt
Show site
  • Assiut University · Asyut, Egypt
Nov 5, 2026
Start date
Nov 1, 2026→May 1, 2025 (actual)
Nov 5, 2026
Primary completion
Nov 1, 2026→Jun 1, 2026 (actual)
Nov 5, 2026
Study completion
Nov 1, 2027→Nov 1, 2026
Nov 5, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Nov 5, 2026
    Not yet recruiting→Active, not recruiting
    1 site added — first site in Egypt
    Show site
    • Assiut University · Asyut, Egypt
    Start date Nov 1, 2026→May 1, 2025 (now actual)
    Primary completion Nov 1, 2026→Jun 1, 2026 (now actual)
    Study completion Nov 1, 2027→Nov 1, 2026
    + 2 other changes: verification date and contact details

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07053709
Lead sponsor
Assiut University
Responsible party
Amira Mohammed Abdel Mowgod (Clinical lecturer, Assiut University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jul 8, 2025
Start date
May 1, 2025
Primary completion
Jun 1, 2026
Completion
Nov 1, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 5, 2026

Study contacts

Assiut University
principal investigator · Assiut University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Nov 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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