Visceral adipose tissue area is an independent risk factor for hepatic steatosis.
OBJECTIVE
Recent data indicate that hepatic steatosis is associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and obesity (especially central body fat distribution). There have been few studies on the correlation between biopsy-proven hepatic steatosis and the above factors in a disease-free population. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relation between hepatic steatosis assessed by biopsy and clinical characteristics including regional fat distribution measured by computed tomography (CT) in living liver donors.


METHODS
Laboratory data, liver/spleen Hounsfield ratio (L/S ratio), regional fat distribution by CT and liver status by biopsy were evaluated retrospectively in a total of 177 living liver donors without a history of alcohol intake.


RESULTS
The unpaired t-test showed that age, triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, body mass index, L/S ratio, visceral adipose tissue area (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue area (SAT) were associated with hepatic steatosis. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, VAT (odds ratio 1.031, 95% CI 1.013-1.048, P < 0.01) and TG (odds ratio 1.012, 95% CI 1.004-1.020, P < 0.01) were independent risk factors of hepatic steatosis. Subgroup analysis also showed that VAT was an independent risk factor in men (odds ratio 1.022, 95% CI 1.003-1.041, P < 0.05) and women (odds ratio 1.086, 95% CI 1.010-1.168, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that visceral abdominal adiposity is correlated with hepatic steatosis in healthy living liver donors.
Park
Bum J
BJ
Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Yoon J
YJ
Kim
Dong H
DH
Kim
Won
W
Jung
Yong J
YJ
Yoon
Jung H
JH
Kim
Chung Y
CY
Cho
Young M
YM
Kim
Se H
SH
Lee
Kyoung B
KB
Jang
Ja J
JJ
Lee
Hyo S
HS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed