The up‐regulation of UBE2V1, RP11‐128N14.5, BNIP3L and TGFB2/TGFB2‐OT1 in NAS ≥ 5 vs NAS ≤ 4 patients, RP11‐128N14.5 in NASH vs simple steatosis and the up‐regulation of HBA2, and TGFB2/TGFB2‐OT1 in F = 3‐4 vs F = 0‐2 patients were also confirmed in the external validation cohort. This evidence concerns the gene HBA2 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.