Relationship between Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis Beyond Metabolic Disorders in Non-Diabetic Patients.
10.4250/jcu.2012.20.3.126
- Author:
Ji Hoon KANG
1
;
Kyoung Im CHO
;
Seong Man KIM
;
Ja Young LEE
;
Jae Joon KIM
;
Ja Jun GOO
;
Kyoung Nyoun KIM
;
Joon Hyung JHI
;
Dong Jun KIM
;
Hyeon Gook LEE
;
Tae Ik KIM
Author Information
1. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Maryknoll Medical Center, Busan, Korea. kyoungim74@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Fatty liver;
Carotid intima media thickness;
Metabolic syndrome
- MeSH:
Atherosclerosis;
Carotid Arteries;
Carotid Artery Diseases;
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness;
Drinking;
Fatty Liver;
Humans;
Mass Screening;
Odds Ratio;
Outpatients;
Prevalence
- From:Journal of Cardiovascular Ultrasound
2012;20(3):126-133
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and carotid artery atherosclerosis beyond metabolic disorders. METHODS: We studied 320 non-diabetic patients with ultrasonographically diagnosed NAFLD and 313 non-diabetic patients without NAFLD who have less than 40 g alcohol/week drinking history. Carotid atherosclerotic burden was assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque. All subjects were divided to the metabolic syndrome (MetS) according to International Diabetes Federation criteria. RESULTS: NAFLD patients had a significantly increased mean carotid IMT (0.79 +/- 0.18 vs. 0.73 +/- 0.13 mm; p < 0.001) than those without the condition. The prevalence of increased IMT, defined as IMT > or = 1 mm, and carotid plaque were 52.5% and 34.1% in the patients with NAFLD vs. 35.8% and 18.8% in the patients without this condition (p < 0.001). The difference in IMT and prevalence of plaque was also significant even in patients without MetS as well as those with MetS (all p < 0.05). NAFLD-associated adjusted odds ratio for increased IMT was 1.236 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.023-1.467, p = 0.016] without MetS and 1.178 (95% CI, 1.059-1.311, p = 0.003) with MetS. NAFLD-associated adjusted odds ratio of carotid plaque was 1.583 (95% CI, 1.309-1.857, p = 0.024) without MetS and 1.536 (95% CI, 0.512-4.604, p = 0.444) with MetS. CONCLUSION: NAFLD is significantly associated with carotid atherosclerosis in non-diabetic outpatients even without MetS. Carotid screening for NAFLD might be beneficial for assessment of future atherosclerotic complications.
