Fatty liver in men is associated with high serum levels of small, dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
OBJECTIVE
Our study addressed potential associations between fatty liver and small, dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sd-LDL-C) levels using a cross-sectional analysis.


METHODS
We enrolled 476 male subjects. Serum sd-LDL-C concentrations were determined using precipitation assays.


RESULTS
Subjects were divided into four groups based on triglyceride (TG) and LDL-C levels: A, TG < 150 mg/dl and LDL-C < 140 mg/dl; B, TG < 150 mg/dl and LDL-C ≥ 140 mg/dl; C, TG ≥ 150 mg/dl and LDL-C < 140 mg/dl; and D, TG ≥ 150 mg/dl and LDL-C ≥ 140 mg/dl. sd-LDL-C levels and the prevalence of fatty liver were significantly higher in groups B, C, and D than in group A. Subjects were also categorized into four groups based on serum sd-LDL-C levels; the prevalence of fatty liver significantly increased with increasing sd-LDL-C levels. Additionally, logistic regression analysis revealed an independent association between sd-LDL-C concentrations and fatty liver using such potential confounders as obesity and hyperglycemia as variables independent of elevated TG or LDL-C levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Fatty liver is a significant determinant of serum sd-LDL-C levels independent of the presence of obesity or hyperglycemia. Fatty liver may alter hepatic metabolism of TG and LDL-C, resulting in increased sd-LDL-C levels.
Department of Internal Medicine, Kagoshima Kouseiren Hospital, 22-25 Tenpozan-cho, Kagoshima, 890-0061, Japan. yasushii@po.synapse.ne.jp.
Kaori
K
Hosoyamada
Hirofumi
H
Uto
Yasushi
Y
Imamura
Yasunari
Y
Hiramine
Eriko
E
Toyokura
Yoshihiro
Y
Hidaka
Tomomi
T
Kuwahara
Ken
K
Kusano
Kazuto
K
Saito
Makoto
M
Oketani
Akio
A
Ido
Hirohito
H
Tsubouchi