Overview
The aim of this qualitative study is to explore and identify the expectations, perceptions, attitudes, needs, and knowledge related to the management of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in patients diagnosed with this condition, before and after their participation in the MASH-Cardiovascular Programme at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona.
The main research question is:
What expectations, attitudes, needs, and perceptions do patients with MASH participating in the MASH-Cardiovascular Programme exhibit before and after the intervention?
Participants will undergo two semi-structured interviews: one prior to, and one following, their involvement in the MASH-Cardiovascular Programme at Hospital de Sant Pau i la Santa Creu, Barcelona.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients who voluntarily agree to participate in the MASH-Cardiovascular Programme.
- Patients followed in the outpatient hepatology/gastroenterology clinic at Hospital de Sant Pau with a diagnosis of MASH and fibrosis stage F2-F4.
- Patients aged between 18 and 75 years.
- Patients with a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m².
- Patients who consent to participate in the study-specific interviews.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients who do not agree to participate in the study-specific interviews.
- Patients meeting exclusion criteria of the MASH-Cardiovascular Programme:
- Patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.
- Patients who are vegetarians or have dietary habits/preferences that prevent adherence to standard-of-care nutritional guidelines.
- Patients with moderate-to-severe alcohol consumption (>20 g/day for women and >40 g/day for men).
- Patients with an eGFR < 30 mL/min.
- Patients with malnutrition.
- Patients with type 1 diabetes or other forms of diabetes.
- Patients who are candidates for bariatric surgery.
- Patients with active malignancy.
- Patients with advanced or unstable heart failure.
- Patients with eating disorders or severe psychiatric illness.
- Patients currently enrolled in another clinical trial.
- Pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant.