title: High prevalence of coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetic patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Prevalence of NAFLD increases greatly in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and it may also increase cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of NAFLD in T2DM population and to compare the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its risk factors between diabetic patients with and without NAFLD in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 560 cases of in-patient T2DM patients from January 2002 to January 2009 in southern China. Patients were divided into two groups (NAFLD and non-NAFLD) and underwent clinical examination, anthropometry, laboratory tests and routine liver ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of NAFLD was 75.18% (421 cases) among all participants, and 285 cases (67.70%) had normal liver function and no symptoms. NAFLD group had higher body mass index (BMI), waist/hip circumference ratio (WHR), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels than those without NAFLD (p<0.01). Moreover, the prevalence of CHD was also higher in the NAFLD group (p<0.01), especially in those male patients with elevated plasma ALT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NAFLD is a common condition among T2DM patients. Its occurrence may be related to sex, age, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia metabolism, etc. and it is associated with a higher prevalence of CHD. Plasma ALT levels may act as a marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, Guangzhou, China. luhongyun1120@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Hongyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Longyi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Danhong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors