GLP-1 Evidence

Not medical advice. A record of published research and our assessments of it. The limits

Real-World Cost and Utilisation Burden of Diagnosed Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Design
Retrospective cohort · 172 participants · Unknown outcome
Match to healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75
Different population[Auto] Participants had type 2 diabetes (age/BMI not reported in abstract).
Could weight loss explain it?
Possibly[Auto] Participants had obesity and/or type 2 diabetes and the abstract does not separate direct drug effects from weight loss or glycaemic improvement.
Study tier
Study tier 3[Auto] Observational design; confounding by indication and healthy-user effects cannot be excluded (auto-provisional).
Assessment
Version 1 · automatic, not yet reviewed by a person · Sep 20, 2026

Study facts come from the paper. Population match, weight-loss explanation and study tier are our judgments, made against the reference group of healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75.

[Auto, unreviewed; quoted from abstract conclusions] Among adults with T2D, MASLD was associated with substantially higher healthcare costs and utilisation. These findings highlight the economic burden of MASLD in this high-risk population.

01Findings

What the study reported

Drugs
Class unspecified
Primary outcome
Not extracted
Effect
Not extracted
95% confidence interval
Not extracted
Follow-up
64 years
Adverse events
Not extracted
Limitations
Auto-classified from abstract only; effect estimates, adverse events and limitations not extracted. Requires manual review.

Who was studied

Diabetes status
type 2 diabetes present (all or most)
Baseline condition
MASH / MASLD
Sample size
172

Study quality details

Study design
Retrospective cohort
Sample size
172
Randomization
no
Blinding
not stated
Comparator
not stated
Follow up duration
64 years
Outcome type
unknown
Replication
not assessed (auto)
Consistency with other evidence
not assessed (auto)
Population applicability
INDIRECT
Statistical precision
CI reported: 95% CI, 1
Risk of bias
not assessed (auto)
Funding conflicts
unclear
Peer review status
yes
02Funding

Funding and conflicts

Funding
not reported in abstract
Industry funded
Unclear
Manufacturer
None identified
Sponsor role
not reported in abstract
Author conflicts
not available in metadata
Independent replication
unknown

Funding is shown on every study and never used to score it.

04Source

The source, as retrieved

Abstract

[AIMS] This study quantified the real-world healthcare costs and utilisation associated with diagnosed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) among adults with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). [METHODS] We conducted a retrospective cohort study using IQVIA PharMetrics Plus Closed Health Plan data from January 2016 to June 2025. Eligible participants were adults aged 18-64 years with T2D. MASLD was identified during the baseline period, and patients with MASLD were matched 1:1 to T2D-only controls using propensity scores. The primary outcome was all-cause total direct healthcare costs over 12 months of follow-up. Adjusted cost ratios (aCRs) and average marginal effects (AMEs) were estimated using generalised linear models. [RESULTS] The final cohort included 155 172 adults with T2D. After PS matching, 17 412 matched pairs were retained. Mean total healthcare costs were $29 734 among patients with MASLD and $18 320 among matched controls. MASLD was associated with 62% higher total healthcare costs (aCR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.58-1.67), corresponding to an AME of $11 411 (95% CI, $10 725-$12 097) per patient per year. In medication-defined subgroups, excess costs remained substantial among patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists (AME, $10 653) and SGLT2 inhibitors (AME, $13 842). MASLD was also associated with greater healthcare utilisation across all service settings. [CONCLUSIONS] Among adults with T2D, MASLD was associated with substantially higher healthcare costs and utilisation. These findings highlight the economic burden of MASLD in this high-risk population.

Where this record came from

SourceRetrievedIdentifier
pubmedSep 20, 202642736030
first ingestion