[The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease].
OBJECTIVE
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with dyslipidemia, obesity, and insulin resistance, which are the main features of metabolic syndrome. First, we examined the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among patients with NAFLD. We then compared the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in simple steatosis with that in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Finally, we sought to identify clinical factors associated with the stage of liver fibrosis.


METHODS
From November 2002 to March 2004, we enrolled consecutive 25 patients with NAFLD from patients visiting outpatient clinic. The 17 controls were healthy persons who visited our health promotion center. We compared the clinical and biochemical data of the NAFLD group with those of the control group. Using histologic findings, we divided NAFLD into simple steatosis and NASH. We then compared the clinical and biochemical data of the simple steatosis group with those of the NASH group.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients (14/25, 56%) had metabolic syndrome in the NAFLD group. There was no difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome between the simple steatosis (5/10, 50%) and the NASH group (9/15, 60%). We found significant differences in cardiovascular risk factors between the two groups, but homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance was the only significantly different factor between the simple steatosis group and the NASH group. In addition, no difference in histological features was found between NASH with metabolic syndrome and without metabolic syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
A considerable number of patients with NAFLD had metabolic syndrome. There was a close correlation between NAFLD and metabolic syndrome. We could not find any cardiovascular risk factors that could predict a severe fibrosis.
Moon
Ki Won
KW
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea. hbchae@chungbuk.ac.kr
Leem
Joung Muk
JM
Bae
Sang Seok
SS
Lee
Ki Man
KM
Kim
Seok Hyung
SH
Chae
Hee Bok
HB
Park
Seon Mee
SM
Youn
Sei Jin
SJ
D000328:Adult; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged