The combination of transcriptomics and metabolomics is often preferred as a powerful tool in the study of multisystem diseases such as NAFLD.5 Several studies have identified regulated genes and pathways in NAFLD, including stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (Scd1), sterol regulatory element binding factor 1c (Srebf1c) and the disturbances of phospholipid and bile acid metabolism.6, 7 However, these studies focused exclusively on one NAFLD phenotype (that is, NAFL or NASH) without taking extra-hepatic manifestations of NAFLD into account. Here, SCD is linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.