Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of coded NAFLD/NASH patients and matched unexposed cohorts

Follow-up years prior to index date: median (IQR)

7.5 (4.66–10.5)

7.7 (4.8–10.6)

2.2 (0.9–3.8)

2.2 (1–3.8)

5.2 (3.1–7.1)

5.2 (3.1–7.1)

13.4 (5.5–23.4)

13.9 (5.8–23.4)

5.4 (2.8–8.0)

5.5 (2.9–8.3)

Follow-up years post index date: median (IQR)

5.3 (2.7–8.1)

5.2 (2.7–7.9)

1.8 (0.8–3.2)

1.8 (0.8–3.3)

3.5 (1.7–5.6)

3.5 (1.7–5.7)

3.1 (1.3–5.9)

3.0 (1.3–5.7)

3.3 (1.5–5.8)

3.2 (1.5–5.7)

Age in years, mean (SD)

56.1 (14.4)

55.0 (13.7)

56.8 (13.9)

56.1 (13.5)

55.9 (13.4)

54.5 (13.1)

54.4 (13.4)

53.5 (13.5)

55.8 (13.6)

54.6 (13.3)

Gender, % of Males

57.3

54.7

49.2

48.5

52.6

48.8

51.5

51.0

52.7

50.1

Current smokers*, %

11.3

9.0

17.2

11.5

17.6

15.4

17.8

19.0

16.5

14.4

Body mass index in kg/m², mean (SD)

29.8 (5.0)

27.5 (5.0)

30.8 (5.3)

28.3 (5.2)

31.4 (5.1)

28.7 (5.1)

32.5 (6.0)

28.5 (5.9)

31.3 (5.3)

28.5 (5.3)

Obesity (%)

21.5

9.0

23.6

9.0

39.5

18.1

49.6

18.2

36.0

15.4

History of type 2 diabetes (%)

17.6

11.0

20.4

9.2

19.9

10

21.5

7.1

19.8

9.6

History of hypertension (%)

47.2

36.6

36.0

26.2

42.6

29.3

41.2

25.9

42.2

29.6

Statin use (%)

22.0

15.8

33.2

22.0

6.9

6.8

32.6

18.5

16.9

12.1

Aspartate transaminase (IU/L), median (IQR)

24 (19–32)

20 (17–25)

29 (22–40)

23 (20–28)

29 (22–40)

22 (18–27)

31 (23–45)

22 (19–27)

28 (21–39)

21 (18–26)

Alanine transaminase (IU/L), median (IQR)

30 (20–48)

21 (16–29)

37 (25–55)

25 (18–33)

34 (22–53)

20 (15–28)

42 (26–65)

22 (17–31)

35 (23–54)

21 (16–29)