title: Prevalence and factors associated with the presence of non alcoholic fatty liver disease in an apparently healthy adult population in primary care units.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fatty liver disease is characterized by the accumulation of fat vacuoles inside of the hepatocytes. Non alcoholic fatty liver is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipemia, the intake of certain drugs and with the so-called metabolic syndrome. However, there is little information on the clinical relevance of this disorder as a healthcare problem in the general population, since the studies published generally include a limited number of patients and the diagnosis is established on the basis of clear biochemical alterations and liver biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of the study is the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a general adult population by hepatic ultrasonography.A population-based, descriptive, transversal, multicentre study. Eighteen primary care centres of the north of Barcelona and the Maresme Areas of Healthcare Management attending an urban and semi-urban population of 360.000 inhabitants.A randomized sample of 786 subjects of 15 years or older were selected from the population and assigned to the participating centres according to the Primary Care Information System (SIAP): This population is practically the same as the general population of the area. The following determinations will be carried out in all the participants: hepatic ultrasonography to detect fatty liver, a questionnaire concerning liver diseases, alcohol intake, smoking and drug use, physical examination including abdominal perimeter and body mass index and biochemical analysis including liver function tests and parameters related to the metabolic syndrome and the HAIR score. Ultrasonographic diagnosis of fatty liver will be made according to established criteria (American Gastroenterology Association) and diagnosis of metabolic syndrome according to the criteria of the European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will attempt to determine the prevalence of non alcoholic fatty liver disease, as well as, the factors most frequently associated with the presence of this disease to thereby achieve the most appropriate treatment and avoid the evolution of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Primary Healthcare Centre Premià de Mar, Catalan Health Institute, IDIAP Jordi Gol, La Plaça 93,08330 Premià de Mar, Spain. lcaballeria.bnm.ics@gencat.net
authors.forename: Llorenç
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caballería
authors.forename: Ma Antonia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Auladell
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Torán
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aznar
authors.forename: Guillem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pera
authors.forename: Dolors
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Planas
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canut
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernad
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aubà
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizarro
authors.forename: Miren Maite
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Aizpurua
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altaba
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tibau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography