In the validation cohort, leptin was higher again in NAFL (39.74 ± 2.25 ng/ml) and NASH (43.72 ± 2.70 ng/ml) vs. non-obese controls (6.21 ± 0.97 ng/ml; p < 0.0001) (Figure 1B). Here, LEP is linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.