LECT2 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: Therefore, we evaluated whether circulating levels of LECT2 are increased in the subjects with NAFLD and exhibit significant correlations with various components of metabolic syndrome as well as systemic low-grade inflammatory status, represented as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and subclinical atherosclerosis measured using carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).