Baseline characteristics of studies and patient population.

Table 1: Baseline characteristics of studies and patient population.

List of selected studies with their demographics, duration, sample size, gender population, mean age, radiation doses, and cardiovascular outcomes.
Author/Publication year Type of study	Country	Duration (years)	Sample (#)	Male (%)	Female (%)	Mean age (years)	Diagnosis of CV disease	Diagnosis of NAFLD	CV outcome, incidence and prevalence^*	Study adjustments
El Azeem 2013, Prospective study	Saudi Arabia	3.0	268	50.0	50.0	51.4 (± 11.3)	Hospital records, EKG	Liver ultrasound	CV mortality, 50.7%	No adjustments
Hamaguchi 2007, Retrospective study	Japan	5.0	1221	61.0	39.0	49.1 (± 8.7)	Self reporting questionnaire, metabolic syndrome based on waste circumference	Liver ultrasound	CV events, 1.8%	No adjustments
Haring 2009, Retrospective study	Germany	7.3	4160	49.0	51.0	49.0 (± 1.0)	ICD 10 Codes	GGT > ULN	CV mortality, 7.5%	age in decades, waist circumference, alcohol consumption, physical activity, educational level, civil status, equalized income, and functional comorbidity index
Haring 2009, Retrospective study	Germany	7.3	4160	49.0	51.0	49.0 (± 1.0)	ICD 10 Codes	Liver ultrasound	CV mortality, 7.5%
Hwang 2018, Retrospective study	South Korea	5.7	82899	75.6	24.4	41.6 (± 10.7)	Death certificate, ICD 10 Codes	Liver ultrasound	CV mortality, 11.0%	No adjustments
Lee 2006, Prospective study	Finland	12.0	2862	47.9	52.1	48.0 (± 1.0)	Fatal and non fatal events ( ICD 8,9,10 Codes)	GGT > 64 U/L M	CVD events, 4.0% CV mortality, 3.4%	age, BMI, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity, SBP, total cholesterol, HDL- cholesterol
Lee 2006, Prospective study	Finland	12.0	2862	47.9	52.1	48.0 (± 1.0)	Fatal and non fatal events ( ICD 8,9,10 Codes)	GGT > 32 U/L F	CVD events, 4.0% CV mortality, 3.4%
Lu 2009, Cross-sectional survey	China	7.0	421	62.7	37.3	56.4 (± 6.6)	Patient history, symptoms, EKG findings, LHC	Liver ultrasound	CV events, 38.7%^*	BMI: Body Mass Index; WC: Waist Circumference; SBP: Systolic Blood Pressure; DBP: Diastolic blood pressure; FBG: Fasting Blood Glucose; TG: Triglycerides; TC: Total Cholesterol; HDL-C: High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol; LDL-C: Low-density lipoprotein Cholesterol; ALT: Alanine Aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate Aminotransferase; GGT: g-Glutamyltransferase; FIns: Fasting Insulin; MetS: Metabolic Syndrome
Lu 2009, Cross-sectional survey	China	7.0	421	62.7	37.3	56.4 (± 6.6)	Patient history, symptoms, EKG findings, LHC	ALT > 40 IU/L	CV events, 38.7%^*
Ruttmann 2005, Prospective study	Austria	17.0	8795	56.5	23.5	42.0 (± 15.0)	ICD 9 Codes	GGT > 56 U/L	CV mortality, 2.1% male and 4.3% females	Age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, smoking, work status, and year of examination.
Stepanova 2012, Retrospective study	USA	6.0	2492	52.8	47.2	54.0 (± 1.0)	Self reported history	Liver ultrasound	CV mortality, 3.76%	No adjustments
Yun 2008, Retrospective study	South Korea	5.0	4022	80.5	19.5	50.0 (± 8.0)	ICD 10 Codes	ALT > 40 IU/L	CV mortality, 22.0%	Age, sex, past medical history, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, education, income, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and calculated glomerular filtration rate
Zheng 2018, Retrospective study	China	1.0	1571	64.4	35.6	56.2 (± 11.2)	CIMT, ba-BWV	Liver biopsy	CIMT, 43.8%^*	Age and gender, BMI, regular exercise and current smoking, WC, TG, LDL-C, diabetes mellitus and hypertension

ICD: International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems; CV: Cardiovascular; EKG: Electrocardiogram; LHC: Left Heart Catheterization; CIMT: Carotid Intima Media Thickness; ba-PMV: Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity; GGT: Gamma-Glutamyltransferase; ALT: Alanine Transaminase; BMI: Body Mass Index; SBP: Systolic Blood Pressure; HDL: High-Density Lipoproteins; AST: Aspartate Aminotransferase; WC: Waist Circumference; LDL: Low-Density Lipoproteins