title: Risk factors associated with hepatic steatosis: a study in patients in the Northeast Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although there are several studies in the international literature regarding hepatic steatosis, few large-scale studies of risk factors are available.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To verify potential risk factors associated with hepatic steatosis, such as: alcohol consumption, overweight, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a case series study including a control group (without hepatic steatosis), carried out at the gastroenterology outpatient clinic in Northeast Brazil. The sample was composed of 219 patients with hepatic steatosis and 82 without the disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was an association between hepatic steatosis and socioeconomic status. Prevalence Ratio (PR) for family income ≤ 2 minimum wage was (PR = 1.35 CI 95%, 1.18-1.54) and education level < primary education (PR = 1.44, CI 95%,1.27-1.64). Regarding anthropometric and clinical characteristics and lipid profile, there was an association with overweight (PR = 1.59, CI 95%, 1.38-1.83), abdominal circumference in the range of very high risk (PR = 2.28, IC 95%,1.68-3.09), hypertension (PR = 1.30, CI 95%, 1.15-1.48) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (PR = 1.23, CI 95%, 1.07-1.64), low HDL-cholesterol (PR = 1,96, CI 95%, 1.55-2.48), hypertriglyceridemia (PR = 2.10, CI 95%, 1.64-2.68). In the regression model three variables remained independently associated to hepatic steatosis, abdominal circumference in the range of very high risk (PRadjusted = 1.74), low HDL-cholesterol (PRadjusted = 1.39) and overweight (PRadjusted = 1.28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed an association of hepatic steatosis with some risk factors, being abdominal circumference (very high risk) the most strongly associated, followed by low HDL-cholesterol and overweight.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Cidade Universitária, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: do S Alves de Carvalho
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coelho Cabral
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kruze Grande de Arruda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goretti Pessoa de Araújo Burgos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: da Silva Diniz
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Barros Pernambuco
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Cabral de Lira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL