Hepatic steatosis, carotid atherosclerosis and metabolic  syndrome: the STEATO Study.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatic steatosis is frequently observed in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS). In type 2 diabetics, it is independently associated with cardiovascular diseases. In order to confirm and extend this finding, a large group of patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis was studied.


METHODS
Carotid atherosclerosis was investigated by echo-Doppler, and hepatic steatosis by ultrasound and transaminase values. Strict exclusion criteria were chosen in order to avoid secondary forms of fatty liver and interference on transaminase values.


RESULTS
Among 970 enrolled patients, about 20% were diabetics, half had MS and 76% presented echographic hepatic steatosis. In multivariate analyses, fatty liver and MS were associated with carotid atherosclerosis [odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) 2.15 (1.27-3.63) and 1.72(1.12-2.64), respectively], whereas HOMA index was not. Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were not independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis, whereas gamma-glutamyl transferase showed a link with atherosclerosis beyond MS and steatosis presence. The analyses of the 780 non diabetics recruited showed similar results.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study demonstrate that hepatic steatosis measured by echography is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in a large population mostly carrying cardiovascular or metabolic risk factors, independently of MS, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and/or insulin resistance.
Metabolic Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine G. Salvatore, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy.
Claudio
C
Carallo
Gerardo
G
Mancuso
Gaetano
G
Mauro
Ferdinando
F
Laghi
Bruno
B
Madafferi
Concetta
C
Irace
Agostino
A
Gnasso
Faustina
F
Scavelli
Ferruccio
F
Dell'Aquila
Mosè
M
Bartone
Francesco
F
Gullo
Maria
M
Ferraro
Vitaliano
V
Spagnuolo
Maria
M
Belmonte
Antonio
A
Ferrara
Antonio
A
Silvano Rotondaro
Nicola
N
Brandolino
Francesca
F
Parasporo
Francesco
F
Scopelliti
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase