Cardiovascular risk factors, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and carotid artery intima-media thickness in an adolescent population in southern Italy.
The objective of this study was to determine, in an adolescent population, the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the association of NAFLD and cardiovascular risk factors with carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. The authors conducted a population-based study among 642 randomly selected adolescents aged 11-13 years in Reggio Calabria, southern Italy, between November 2007 and October 2008. Prevalences of overweight and obesity were 30.5% and 13.5%, respectively. The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 12.5%, increasing to 23.0% in overweight/obese adolescents. In univariate analysis, increased IMT was positively associated with the presence of NAFLD, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (all P's < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.006), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (P = 0.006), alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.007), and C-reactive protein (P = 0.008) and was inversely associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, NAFLD (P = 0.002), BMI (P = 0.004), waist circumference (P = 0.003), and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.005) retained significant associations. The authors conclude that NAFLD, BMI, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure are independent markers of increased IMT in a random sample of adolescents.
Caserta
Carmelo Antonio
CA
Madonna della Consolazione Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
Pendino
Gaspare Maria
GM
Amante
Angela
A
Vacalebre
Carmelo
C
Fiorillo
Maria Teresa
MT
Surace
Pasquale
P
Messineo
Arianna
A
Surace
Monica
M
Alicante
Saverio
S
Cotichini
Rodolfo
R
Zuin
Massimo
M
Rosmini
Francesco
F
Mele
Alfonso
A
Marcucci
Fabrizio
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055105:Waist Circumference; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase