Relationship between Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular and Metabolic Risk Indices

Abstract

Introduction : While non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is linked to other metabolic dysfunction, it may also occur alone. In our study, we investigate the factors associated with NAFLD in subjects that do not have metabolic syndrome. Materials and Methods: The files of the patients that applied to our check-up outpatient clinic were evaluated retrospectively, and patients who met the criteria for admission to the study were divided into those with and without NAFLD (n=277 and n=280, respectively) with the age variable being adjusted. Anthropometric and biochemical values, fibrosis scores, cardiovascular and metabolic risk indices were compared between groups. Results: Between individuals with and without NAFLD there were statistically significant differences in terms of waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), body mass index (BMI), ALT, AST/ALT, uric acid, smoking status, lipid levels, Triglyceride/HDL, hemoglobin, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), visceral adiposity index (VAI) parameters (p<0.005). When people with BMI<25 kg/m 2 were considered, the difference between smoking, total and LDL cholesterol, ALT, AST/ALT, and HOMA-IR values lost their significance. In the group with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 , significant differences remained only in terms of WC, WHR and BMI. It has been observed that hepatosteatosis has a positive correlation with the values of VAI, TyG, Triglyceride/HDL and AST-platelet ratio index and a negative correlation with AST/ALT. Conclusion: While cardiovascular and metabolic risk indicators were significantly increased in lean individuals with NAFLD, the increase in those risks in overweight individuals was independent of fatty liver.