Hematological abnormalities in clinically diagnosed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: prevalence, clinical correlates, and fibrosis risk in a case–control study from Qatar

Abstract

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is increasingly recognized as a systemic disease with extra-hepatic manifestations, yet its hematological profile remains insufficiently characterized in Middle Eastern populations. This case–control study from Qatar examined the prevalence and clinical correlates of hematological abnormalities in patients with clinically diagnosed NASH, and evaluated their association with liver fibrosis risk. Routine complete blood count parameters and derived indices were compared between NASH cases and matched controls, and their relationship with non-invasive fibrosis scores was assessed. Findings highlight distinct hematological signatures in NASH and support the integration of routine blood-based markers into fibrosis risk stratification in clinical practice.