Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Although lifestyle modification remains the standard of care (SOC), improvements in patient-reported outcomes are often limited. This study evaluated the effect of adding coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to SOC on HRQoL in patients with MAFLD over 3 months.
METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, patients with MAFLD attending the outpatient clinic at the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute (NHTMRI), in Egypt, were allocated to CoQ10 plus SOC (dietary modification and structured exercise) or SOC alone. HRQoL was assessed at baseline and study completion using the paper-based validated Arabic Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ), covering six domains; abdominal (AB), fatigue (FA), systemic symptoms (SY), activity (AC), emotional function (EM) and worry (WO). Between-group comparisons were performed using Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, while within-group changes were assessed using paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, as appropriate. Analysis of covariance adjusted for baseline scores compared post-treatment outcomes.
RESULTS: Seventy-two patients, equally allocated between 2 groups, completed the study. Baseline HRQoL scores were comparable across all CLDQ domains except AC (p=0.012). The control group showed significant improvements in AB, FA, SY, and WO (all p<0.001), while AC and EM remained unchanged (p=0.608 and p=0.475). In contrast, the treatment group demonstrated significant improvements across all CLDQ domains and overall CLDQ scores (all p<0.001). After adjustments for baseline values, post-treatment scores were significantly higher in the treatment group acorss all domains and the composite CLDQ score (all p<0.001). Overall CLDQ scores increased form 2.28 to 4.54 with CoQ10 versus 2.32 to 3.42 with SOC alone.
CONCLUSIONS: Adding CoQ10 to SOC significantly improved HRQoL in patients with MAFLD, with superior benefits across all CLDQ domains, supporting its potential as a promising adjunctive intervention for further investigation.