Lack of associations of microRNAs with severe NAFLD in people living with HIV: Discovery case-control study

The aim of this discovery case-control study was to identify patterns of differential expression of microRNAs in people living with HIV (PLWH) and assess their diagnostic value for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD). Cases were defined as patients with severe NAFLD and controls as patients without NAFLD, characterized using the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). Cases and controls were matched 1:1 for age, sex, body mass index, CD4+ lymphocyte count, active HCV infection, and ART regimen. Serum 2,083 simultaneous microRNA transcripts were analyzed using HTG technology and compared between cases and controls. Forty-five patients, 23 cases, and 22 controls were included in the study. In the analysis of the expression pattern of the 2,083 microRNAs, no differential expression patterns were found between both groups of patients included in the study. Analysis of the microRNA transcriptome profile of nonobese PLWH with severe NAFLD did not appear to differ from that of patients without NAFLD. Thus, microRNA might not serve as a proper biomarker for predicting severe NALFD in this population.