title: Liver fat content, evaluated through semi-quantitative ultrasound measurement, is associated with impaired glucose profiles: a community-based study in Chinese.
abstract: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We investigated whether the deposition of fat in the liver is associated with glycemic abnormalities and evaluated the contribution of the liver fat content (LFC) to the impaired glucose regulation. We conducted a community-based study among 2836 residents (1018 males and 1818 females) without prior known diabetes mellitus from the Changfeng Study who were at least 45 years old. A standard interview, anthropometrics and laboratory parameters were performed for each participant. The standardised ultrasound hepatic-renal echo-intensity and hepatic echo-intensity attenuation rate were used to assess the LFC. The cohort was stratified according to the quintiles for LFC. Two-hour glucose and fasting blood glucose increased across the LFC quintiles after adjustment for age and gender. LFC increased continuously among glucose categories after adjustment for age and gender (NGT: 7.7±0.3%, IFG: 10.0±0.8%, IGT: 11.8±0.5%, IFG+IGT: 11.7±0.9%, new- DM: 12.4±0.6%, P<0.001). By logistic regression analysis, 1% LFC increment independently predicted prediabetes and diabetes (OR 1.032, 1.019-1.045, P<0.001; 1.021, 1.005-1.037, P = 0.012, respectively) after adjustment for all potential confounders. Furthermore, participants with LFC higher than 10% had higher odds ratios of impaired glucose regulation as compared with those with LFC below 10% in fully adjusted logistic models. These results suggest that the LFC is strongly associated with impaired glucose regulation in the Chinese population, and that an even slightly elevated LFC is associated with increased glucose dysregulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mingfeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Wanyuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Huandong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Naiqing
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose