Table 4 Subgroup analysis of the interaction between incident arterial stiffness and MAFLD transition patterns in the population free of arterial stiffness at baseline (n = 5656).

Subgroups	MAFLD progression categories							P for interaction
	None (n = 2642)	Developed (n = 975)		Regressed (n = 342)		Persistent (n = 1697)
	HR (95% CI)	HR (95% CI)	P value	HR (95% CI)	P value	HR (95% CI)	P value
Age								0.671
< 50 years (n = 4274)	1.00 (Reference)	1.06 (0.81–1.39)	0.685	0.96 (0.62–1.49)	0.845	1.35 (1.01–1.81)	0.045
≥ 50 years (n = 1382)	1.00 (Reference)	1.25 (0.85–1.84)	0.260	0.87 (0.53–1.44)	0.596	1.27 (0.86–1.87)	0.233
Sex								0.215
Female (n = 1939)	1.00 (Reference)	1.65 (1.14–2.39)	0.009	0.76 (0.35–1.63)	0.478	1.68 (1.06–2.66)	0.028
Male (n = 3717)	1.00 (Reference)	0.93 (0.71–1.23)	0.629	0.84 (0.58–1.21)	0.351	1.15 (0.88–1.51)	0.317
Overweight/obesity								0.278
No (n = 2653)	1.00 (Reference)	1.04 (0.77–1.42)	0.801	0.96 (0.50–1.80)	0.895	1.58 (1.04–2.40)	0.033
Yes (n = 3003)	1.00 (Reference)	1.14 (0.72–1.82)	0.580	0.74 (0.48–1.13)	0.160	1.31 (0.94–1.83)	0.108
Hypertension								0.288
No (n = 5207)	1.00 (Reference)	1.22 (0.96–1.54)	0.105	0.76 (0.52–1.10)	0.143	1.29 (0.99–1.66)	0.055
Yes (n = 449)	1.00 (Reference)	1.12 (0.58–2.18)	0.734	1.16 (0.57–2.39)	0.682	1.29 (0.68–2.43)	0.438
Diabetes								0.255
No (n = 5407)	1.00 (Reference)	1.16 (0.92–1.44)	0.204	0.90 (0.65–1.26)	0.544	1.29 (1.02–1.64)	0.037
Yes (n = 249)	1.00 (Reference)	0.86 (0.20–3.66)	0.836	0.76 (0.14–4.18)	0.747	2.99 (0.90–9.93)	0.074
Dyslipidemia								0.937
No (n = 3922)	1.00 (Reference)	1.15 (0.89–1.49)	0.284	0.92 (0.62–1.36)	0.665	1.39 (1.05–1.85)	0.022
Yes (n = 1734)	1.00 (Reference)	1.14 (0.72–1.82)	0.580	0.75 (0.41–1.37)	0.349	1.16 (0.74–1.81)	0.515

Estimated from Cox proportional hazard models.
The multivariable model was adjusted as in Model 3 of Table 3.
MAFLD metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease, HR hazard ratio, CI confidence interval.

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