Modern lifestyles, characterized by sedentary work and high calorie food, has led to growing obesity rates around the world. One characteristic of obesity is the accumulation of fat in non-adipose tissues, particularly in major organs such as the liver, pancreas, and heart. These deposits, known as ectopic fat, disrupt the normal functioning of these organs and can cause severe disorders. Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) are two such disorders which affect the liver and pancreas respectively. Both MASLD and IPFD affect ever increasing number of people worldwide, making it necessary to understand these disorders and their effects on overall health.
Now, a team of researchers led by Dr. Weihong Wang from the Department of Infectious Diseases, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China, Dr. Jing Zhong from the Department of Center of Precision Medicine, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China, and Professor Qiang Yan from the Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China, has examined the latest developments in pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of MASLD and IPFD. Their findings were published in the journal of Portal Hypertension & Cirrhosis on May 12, 2026.
"We conducted a systematic review and compared the definitions, pathology, diagnostic methods, risk factors, organ‐specific effects, artificial intelligence (AI)‐driven advancements, current status of drug research, and the potential association between MASLD and IPFD and clarified the similarities and differences between them," says Dr. Wang.
The findings suggest that on the basis of blood parameters, imaging tests, and biopsy-confirmed diagnostic criteria for fatty liver, the prevalence of MASLD in the Asia-Pacific region ranged from 28% to 40%. In contrast, the prevalence of IPFD is hard to determine, since there are no universally accepted criteria for this disorder. However, recent estimates place the prevalence of IPFD between 17% and 21%.
These numbers are worrying because both disorders are strongly correlated with chronic diseases that affect the liver and pancreas. People with MASLD experience chronic inflammation in liver tissues, and are more likely to develop chronic Hepatitis B infection and autoimmune hepatitis. They are also more likely to develop liver cancer and scarring of the bile duct. Whereas IPFD is linked to higher rates of pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, and pancreatic insufficiency. Crucially, MASLD and IPFD may be mutually reinforcing. As Dr. Zhong says, "There may be a close association between MASLD and IPFD with metabolic dysfunction being the key pathological link between the two."
As metabolic disorders, both MASLD and IPFD are more common among people with other metabolic dysfunctions such as low levels of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The evidence points to a bidirectional relationship between T2DM and both MASLD and IPFD. While high calorie diets are among the largest contributors to these disorders, other lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise, smoking, and sleep deficit are also strongly correlated. Fortunately, changes to these lifestyle factors can reduce ectopic fat deposition in the liver and pancreas, and reduce the severity of organ dysfunctions. In addition, glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide show promise for MASLD, while statins and anti-hypertension drugs show good outcomes against IPFD.
New technological developments promise better outcomes for people with these disorders. Notably, AI algorithms are improving the ability of physicians to diagnose both disorders, especially IPFD which is less well-defined. AI is also being used with other advanced technologies such as organ-on-a-chip to replicate the behavior of the affected organs, thus creating a platform for the rapid development and testing of new treatments.
While remarkable advances have been made in MASLD research, there is a significant lag in both the basic and clinical research on IPFD. This highlights the need to establish a unified definition of IPFD and elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic lipid deposition.
"Our study suggests that an integrated liver–pancreas co‐management strategy with innovative, organ‐targeted treatment approaches may help open new avenues for precision prevention and therapy," concludes Prof. Yan.
