BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hypothyroidism is reported to contribute to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We compared the risk of the development of NAFLD among three groups with different thyroid hormonal statuses (control, subclinical hypothyroidism, and overt hypothyroidism) in a 4-year retrospective cohort of Korean subjects. METHODS: Apparently healthy Korean subjects without NAFLD and aged 20-65 years were recruited (n=18,544) at health checkups performed in 2008. Annual health checkups were applied to the cohort for 4 consecutive years until December 2012. Based on their initial serum-free thyroxine (fT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, they were classified into control, subclinical hypothyroidism (TSH >4.2 mIU/L, normal fT4), and overt hypothyroidism (TSH >4.2 mIU/L, fT4 <0.97 ng/dL) groups. NAFLD was diagnosed on the basis of ultrasonography findings. RESULTS: NAFLD developed in 2,348 of the 18,544 subjects, representing an overall incidence of 12.7%: 12.8%, 11.0%, 12.7% in the control, subclinical hypothyroidism, and overt hypothyroidism groups, respectively. The incidence of NAFLD did not differ significantly with the baseline thyroid hormonal status, even after multivariate adjustment (subclinical hypothyroidism group: hazard ratio [HR]=0.965, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.814-1.143, P=0.67; overt hypothyroidism group: HR=1.255, 95% CI=0.830-1.899, P=0.28). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the subclinical and overt types of hypothyroidism are not related to an increased incidence of NAFLD.
Adult ; Aged ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism/*complications/*diagnosis ; Incidence ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Liver/ultrasonography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/*complications/*diagnosis/epidemiology ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thyrotropin/analysis ; Thyroxine/analysis

Radiological imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as the noninvasive diagnosis of HCC in high-risk patients by typical imaging findings alone is widely adopted in major practice guidelines for HCC. While imaging techniques have markedly improved in detecting small liver lesions, they often detect incidental benign liver lesions and non-hepatocellular malignancy that can be misdiagnosed as HCC. The most common mimicker of HCC in cirrhotic liver is nontumorous arterioportal shunts that are seen as focal hypervascular liver lesions on dynamic contrast-enhanced cross-sectional imaging. Rapidly enhancing hemangiomas can be easily misdiagnosed as HCC especially on MR imaging with liver-specific contrast agent. Focal inflammatory liver lesions mimic HCC by demonstrating arterial-phase hypervascularity and subsequent washout on dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. It is important to recognize the suggestive imaging findings for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CC) as the management of CC is largely different from that of HCC. There are other benign mimickers of HCC such as angiomyolipomas and focal nodular hyperplasia-like nodules. Recognition of their typical imaging findings can reduce false-positive HCC diagnosis.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*diagnosis/radiography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemangioma/complications/radiography/ultrasonography ; Hepatitis B/complications ; Humans ; Inflammation/radiography/ultrasonography ; Liver/radiography/ultrasonography ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications/radiography ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/radiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/radiography/ultrasonography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A close relationship has been established between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and an elevated risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but little is known about the association between alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) and CHD risk. The aim of this study was to determine whether AFLD is associated with elevated CHD risk. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 10,710 subjects out of 11,469 individuals who visited the Konkuk University Health Care Center for a routine health checkup in 2010. AFLD was diagnosed made when the usual amount of alcohol consumption exceeded 210 g/week in males and 140 g/week in females for the previous 2 years and when hepatic steatosis was detected by liver ultrasonography. The 10-year risk for CHD was estimated using the Framingham Risk Score. RESULTS: Hepatic steatosis was diagnosed in 4,142 of the 10,710 individuals (38.7%); the remainder (i.e., n=6,568) became the control group. The 4,142 individuals with hepatic steatosis were divided into two groups: NAFLD (n=2,953) and AFLD (n=1,189). The risk of CHD was higher in AFLD (6.72+/-0.12) than in the control group (5.50+/-0.04, P<0.001), and comparable to that in NAFLD (7.32+/-0.07, P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with AFLD have an elevated 10-year risk of CHD that is comparable to those with NAFLD. Therefore, AFLD should be considered a significant risk for future CHD, and preventive measures should be considered earlier.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Coronary Disease/*diagnosis/etiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fatty Liver, Alcoholic/complications/*diagnosis/ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/complications/*diagnosis/*epidemiology/ultrasonography ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors

We report the case of a 33-year-old primigravida who presented at 37 weeks of gestation with symptoms suggestive of acute fatty liver of pregnancy, but was later diagnosed with leptospirosis (i.e. Weil’s disease or syndrome) on serological testing. Cardiotocography showed fetal distress, and an emergency Caesarean section was performed. A healthy neonate with no evidence of congenital leptospirosis was delivered. The patient was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone and discharged well 13 days after admission. Herein, we discuss the patient’s clinical presentation and the cardiotocography changes observed in leptospiral infection, and review the current literature.
Adult ; Cardiotocography ; Ceftriaxone ; therapeutic use ; Cesarean Section ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fatty Liver ; diagnosis ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Humans ; Leptospira ; Leptospirosis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography

High prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with liver cirrhosis has been reported in many studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship of hepatic fibrosis and steatosis assessed by transient elastography with diabetes in patients with chronic liver disease. The study population consisted of 979 chronic liver disease patients. Liver fibrosis and steatosis were assessed by liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) on transient elastography. Diabetes was diagnosed in 165 (16.9%) of 979 patients. The prevalence of diabetes had significant difference among the etiologies of chronic liver disease. Higher degrees of liver fibrosis and steatosis, assessed by LSM and CAP score, showed higher prevalence of diabetes (F0/1 [14%], F2/3 [18%], F4 [31%], P<0.001; S0/1 [15%], S2 [17%], S3 [26%], P=0.021). Multivariate analysis showed that the independent predictive risk factors for diabetes were hypertension (OR, 1.98; P=0.001), LSM F4 (OR, 1.86; P=0.010), male gender (OR, 1.60; P=0.027), and age>50 yr (OR, 1.52; P=0.046). The degree of hepatic fibrosis but not steatosis assessed by transient elastography has significant relationship with the prevalence of diabetes in patients with chronic liver disease.
Causality ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Complications/diagnosis/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Elastic Modulus ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods/statistics & numerical data ; End Stage Liver Disease/*epidemiology/physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Fatty Liver/*epidemiology/physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/methods ; Incidence ; Liver/physiopathology/ultrasonography ; Liver Cirrhosis/*epidemiology/physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity

High prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with liver cirrhosis has been reported in many studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship of hepatic fibrosis and steatosis assessed by transient elastography with diabetes in patients with chronic liver disease. The study population consisted of 979 chronic liver disease patients. Liver fibrosis and steatosis were assessed by liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) on transient elastography. Diabetes was diagnosed in 165 (16.9%) of 979 patients. The prevalence of diabetes had significant difference among the etiologies of chronic liver disease. Higher degrees of liver fibrosis and steatosis, assessed by LSM and CAP score, showed higher prevalence of diabetes (F0/1 [14%], F2/3 [18%], F4 [31%], P<0.001; S0/1 [15%], S2 [17%], S3 [26%], P=0.021). Multivariate analysis showed that the independent predictive risk factors for diabetes were hypertension (OR, 1.98; P=0.001), LSM F4 (OR, 1.86; P=0.010), male gender (OR, 1.60; P=0.027), and age>50 yr (OR, 1.52; P=0.046). The degree of hepatic fibrosis but not steatosis assessed by transient elastography has significant relationship with the prevalence of diabetes in patients with chronic liver disease.
Causality ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Complications/diagnosis/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Elastic Modulus ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods/statistics & numerical data ; End Stage Liver Disease/*epidemiology/physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Fatty Liver/*epidemiology/physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/methods ; Incidence ; Liver/physiopathology/ultrasonography ; Liver Cirrhosis/*epidemiology/physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Adult ; Fatty Liver ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The red-blood-cell distribution width (RDW) is a newly recognized risk marker in patients with cardiovascular disease, but its role in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been well defined. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between RDW values and the level of fibrosis in NAFLD according to BARD and FIB-4 scores. METHODS: This study included 24,547 subjects who had been diagnosed with NAFLD based on abdominal ultrasonography and questionnaires about alcohol consumption. The degree of liver fibrosis was determined according to BARD and FIB-4 scores. The association between RDW values and the degree of fibrosis in NAFLD was analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, hemoglobin level, mean corpuscular volume, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, the RDW values were 12.61+/-0.41% (mean+/-SD), 12.70+/-0.70%, 12.77+/-0.62%, 12.87+/-0.82%, and 13.25+/-0.90% for those with BARD scores of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, and 12.71+/-0.72%, 12.79+/-0.66%, and 13.23+/-1.52% for those with FIB-4 scores of <1.30, 1.31-2.66, and > or =2.67, respectively (P<0.05). The prevalence of advanced fibrosis (BARD score of 24 and FIB-4 score of > or =1.3) increased with the RDW [BARD score: 51.1% in quartile 1 (Q1) vs. 63.6% in Q4; FIB-4 score: 6.9% in Q1 vs. 10.5% in Q4; P<0.001]. After adjustments, the odds ratio of having advanced fibrosis for those in Q4 compared to Q1 were 1.76 (95%CI=1.55-2.00, P<0.001) relative to BARD score and 1.69 (95%CI=1.52-1.98, P<0.001) relative to FIB-4 score. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated RDW is independently associated with advanced fibrosis in NAFLD.
Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; C-Reactive Protein/analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus/pathology ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Fatty Liver/complications/*diagnosis/ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis/*diagnosis/epidemiology/etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Severity of Illness Index

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. Liver biopsy remains the best way to diagnose NASH and establish the presence of fibrosis, but has not been performed easily in children because of its invasiveness. We analyzed the ultrasonographic and histopathologic findings of pediatric NAFLD patients, and studied to find their association with clinical characteristics and laboratory findings. METHODS: The study involved 18 obese children ranging from 7 to 15 years of age, who were diagnosed with NASH by liver biopsy. We performed the abdomen ultrasonography before the liver biopsy. We reviewed their pathology slides and classified them by NASH CRN (Clinical Research Network) scoring system. We also reviewed the abdomen ultrasonographic findings of the patients and classified them into grade of 1, 2, and 3. We reviewed the medical records of the patients and investigated their clinical characteristics and laboratory findings. RESULTS: The ultrasonographic grades had significant association with NAFLD activity score, grade of steatosis amount, ballooning change, and portal inflammation. Serum triglyceride level was significantly higher in patients who showed high grade steatosis and high NAFLD activity score. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that serum triglycerides and ultrasonographic findings are highly correlated with pathologic findings in children with NAFLD.
Adolescent ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Child ; Disease Progression ; Fatty Liver/diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity/complications ; Retrospective Studies ; *Severity of Illness Index ; Triglycerides/blood

No abstract available.
Citric Acid Cycle/physiology ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/metabolism ; Fatty Liver/diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Obesity/*complications ; Severity of Illness Index