Common Carotid Intima-media Thickness in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Population-based Case-control Study.
10.4166/kjg.2013.62.6.344
- Author:
Kamran B LANKARANI
1
;
Mojtaba MAHMOODI
;
Mehrzad LOTFI
;
Nima ZAMIRI
;
Sayed Taghi HEYDARI
;
Fariborz GHAFFARPASAND
;
Mohammad Kazem FALLAHZADEH
;
Meisam BABAEINEJAD
;
Najmeh MAHARLOUEI
;
Omid MIRZAEE
;
Bita GERAMIZADEH
;
Payam PEYMANI
Author Information
1. Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. mahmoodimoj@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Thickness, intima-media;
Artery, common carotid;
Liver, fatty
- MeSH:
Abdomen/ultrasonography;
Adult;
Age Factors;
Aged;
Carotid Arteries/ultrasonography;
*Carotid Intima-Media Thickness;
Case-Control Studies;
Diabetes Complications;
Fatty Liver/epidemiology/*ultrasonography;
Female;
Humans;
Hypertension/complications;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Odds Ratio;
Risk Factors;
Waist Circumference
- From:The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology
2013;62(6):344-351
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Metabolic syndrome is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerosis. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has features of metabolic syndromes. This study aimed to investigate the association between NAFLD and atherosclerosis. METHODS: In a population-based study in southern Iran, asymptomatic adult inhabitants aged more than 20 years were selected through cluster random sampling, and were screened for the presence of fatty liver and common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), with abdominal and cervical ultrasonography, respectively. Those with fatty liver were compared to the same number of individuals without fatty liver. RESULTS: Two hundred and ninety individuals were found to have fatty change on abdominal ultrasonography, and were labeled NAFLD. Compared to normal individuals, NAFLD patients had significantly higher prevalence of increased CIMT (OR, 1.66; p<0.001). Those with hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), higher waist circumference (WC) and older ages had significantly higher prevalence of thick CIMT. Through adjusting the effects of different variables, we indicated that NAFLD could be an independent risk factor for thick common carotid intima-media (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.17-3.09; p=0.009). It was also shown that age could be another independent risk factor for thick CIMT. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with risk factors such as HTN, DM, and high WC are prone to develop atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. The presence of NAFLD should be considered as another probable independent factor contributing to the development of carotid atherosclerosis.
