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| IJCEM Copyright © 2008-All rights reserved. Published by e-Century Publishing Corporation, Madison, WI 53711 |
Int J Clin Exp Med 2010;3(3):202-210
Original Article
Prevalence of ultrasound-diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a hospital
cohort and its association with anthropometric, biochemical and sonographic
characteristics
Georgi Kirovski, Doris Schacherer, Hella Wobser, Hanna Huber, Christoph Niessen, Catrin Beer, Jürgen Schölmerich, Claus
Hellerbrandd
Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, Germany.
Received June 3, 2010, accepted June, 2010, available online June, 2010
Abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered as the most common liver disease in Western countries with still
rising prevalence due to a life style favoring the development of the metabolic syndrome. To investigate the prevalence of
ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD in patients with referral for sonographic examination of the abdomen, and to determine risk factors. After
exclusion of patients with known liver disease or risk factors for secondary NAFLD, a total of 155 arbitrarily selected patients (mean age
53.6±17.4 years; 52.6% male) from the interdisciplinary ultrasound department of a German University Hospital were included in this
prospective study. Each patient underwent a standardized ultrasound, anthropometric and biochemical examination. The prevalence of
ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD was 40.0%. NAFLD-patients had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio, higher
rates of reported hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and lower HDL cholesterol serum levels. Furthermore, NAFLD-patients revealed
significantly higher serum ALT levels (23.2±22.1 U/l vs. 15.0±8.2 U/l; p=0.001), lower AST/ALT ratio (1.76±0.79 vs. 2.11±0.94; p=0.019),
and notably, decreased flow in the portal vein (22.9±6.3 cm/s vs. 26.7±10.5 cm/s; p=0.011). Multivariate analysis revealed BMI (odds
ratio (OR): 14.05; 95% Confidence interval (CI): 3.3-59.8), AST/ALT ratio (OR: 0.39; CI: 0.18-0.82), and HDL-C (OR: 4.33; CI: 1.6-11.9) as
independent risk factors. Ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD is frequent in patients with referral for ultrasound examination of the abdomen,
and our findings further support that NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome with obesity being the most
important risk factor.(IJCEM1006001).
Key words: CLIP score, HCC, epidemiology, survival
Full Text PDF
Address all correspondence to:
Claus Hellerbrand, MD
University of Regensburg
Department of Internal Medicine I
D-93042 Regensburg
Germany
Tel: +49-941-944-7155
Fax:+49-941-944-7154
E-mail: claus.hellerbrand@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
Original Article
Prevalence of ultrasound-diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a hospital
cohort and its association with anthropometric, biochemical and sonographic
characteristics
Georgi Kirovski, Doris Schacherer, Hella Wobser, Hanna Huber, Christoph Niessen, Catrin Beer, Jürgen Schölmerich, Claus
Hellerbrandd
Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, Germany.
Received June 3, 2010, accepted June, 2010, available online June, 2010
Abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered as the most common liver disease in Western countries with still
rising prevalence due to a life style favoring the development of the metabolic syndrome. To investigate the prevalence of
ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD in patients with referral for sonographic examination of the abdomen, and to determine risk factors. After
exclusion of patients with known liver disease or risk factors for secondary NAFLD, a total of 155 arbitrarily selected patients (mean age
53.6±17.4 years; 52.6% male) from the interdisciplinary ultrasound department of a German University Hospital were included in this
prospective study. Each patient underwent a standardized ultrasound, anthropometric and biochemical examination. The prevalence of
ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD was 40.0%. NAFLD-patients had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio, higher
rates of reported hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and lower HDL cholesterol serum levels. Furthermore, NAFLD-patients revealed
significantly higher serum ALT levels (23.2±22.1 U/l vs. 15.0±8.2 U/l; p=0.001), lower AST/ALT ratio (1.76±0.79 vs. 2.11±0.94; p=0.019),
and notably, decreased flow in the portal vein (22.9±6.3 cm/s vs. 26.7±10.5 cm/s; p=0.011). Multivariate analysis revealed BMI (odds
ratio (OR): 14.05; 95% Confidence interval (CI): 3.3-59.8), AST/ALT ratio (OR: 0.39; CI: 0.18-0.82), and HDL-C (OR: 4.33; CI: 1.6-11.9) as
independent risk factors. Ultrasound-diagnosed NAFLD is frequent in patients with referral for ultrasound examination of the abdomen,
and our findings further support that NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome with obesity being the most
important risk factor.(IJCEM1006001).
Key words: CLIP score, HCC, epidemiology, survival
Full Text PDF
Address all correspondence to:
Claus Hellerbrand, MD
University of Regensburg
Department of Internal Medicine I
D-93042 Regensburg
Germany
Tel: +49-941-944-7155
Fax:+49-941-944-7154
E-mail: claus.hellerbrand@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
