title: [General characteristics and clinical practices of Chinese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the characteristics and daily treatment compliance of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  NAFLD adult patients from 21 clinics of 12 cities in China were enrolled in this registry. Physical examination such as demographic characteristics (height, weight, waist circumference measurement), blood pressure and clinical laboratory and ultrasonographic examination of liver were undertaken. Daily practice including life style and medication were recorded and assessed in accordance with 2006 Chinese NAFLD treatment guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1656 patients were enrolled (1146 male and 510 female), mean of 45.8 ± 12.6 years old, mean duration of NAFLD history was (47.2 ± 47.7) months. 44.9% of NAFLD were suffering from metabolic syndromes. Patients with central obesity have higher incidence of hypertension and lower level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) than those without central obesity, P < 0.05. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in ALT abnormal group were higher than those in ALT normal group (P < 0.05), HDL-C was lower in ALT abnormal group (P < 0.05). Significant differences existed between the BMI, female waist circumference, TG, fast insulin, HOMA index, ALT, AST and HDL-C among subgroups with mild, moderate and severe steatosis. Majority of the patients did not follow recommendations of NAFLD treatment guidelines. Among targeted population only 15.3% of patients used insulin sensitizers and 23.8% took lipid lowering medicine according to the guideline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data indicated that nearly half of NAFLD patients co-morbid with metabolic disorders. Therapy compliance was unsatisfactory and the gap between current practice and Chinese NAFLD treatment guidelines was not optimal.
authors.affiliation: Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
authors.forename: Min-de
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Bing-yuan
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Cheng-wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rui-hua
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: You-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Shi-ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.forename: Xiao-ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Yu-yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jia-ji
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Zhen-ya
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jian-gao
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yi-min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference