title: Clinical characteristics associated with hepatic steatosis on ultrasonography in patients with elevated alanine aminotransferase.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main causes of hepatic steatosis (HS) are alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although liver biopsy is the gold standard for NAFLD diagnosis, the finding of abnormal aminotransferases in abstinent individuals, without known liver disease, suggests the diagnosis of NAFLD in 80-90% of the cases. Identification of clinical factors associated with HS on abdominal ultrasound may enable diagnoses of fatty liver non-invasively and cost-effectively. The aim here was to identify clinical variables associated with HS in individuals with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study in a single tertiary care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals with elevated ALT, serologically negative for hepatitis B and C, were evaluated by reviewing medical files. Patients who did not undergo abdominal ultrasonography were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 94 individuals included, 40% presented HS on ultrasonography. Compared with individuals without HS, those with fatty liver were older (P = 0.043), with higher body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.003), diabetes prevalence (P = 0.024), fasting glucose levels (P = 0.001) and triglycerides (P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis showed that BMI (odds ratio, OR = 1.186; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.049-1.341; P = 0.006) and diabetes mellitus (OR = 12.721; 95% CI: 1.380-117.247; P = 0.025) were independently associated with HS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simple clinical findings such as history of diabetes and high BMI may predict the presence of HS on ultrasonography in individuals with elevated ALT and negative serological tests for hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Section, Division of Gastroenterology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. janaina.narciso@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Janaína Luz
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Narciso-Schiavon
authors.forename: Leonardo de Lucca
authors.initials: Lde L
authors.lastname: Schiavon
authors.forename: Roberto José de
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Carvalho-Filho
authors.forename: Débora Yumi
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Hayashida
authors.forename: Jenny Hue Jiuan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tatiana Santana
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Christini Takemi
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Emori
authors.forename: Maria Lucia Gomes
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.forename: Antonio Eduardo Benedito
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D000410:Alanine Transaminase