title: Chronic kidney disease and nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease proven by transient elastography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preliminary data suggest an association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to further investigate the association between NAFLD and decreased kidney function.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 62 patients with CKD were enrolled in the study. Liver stiffness was used to detect liver fibrosis and CAP (controlled attenuation parameter) was used to detect and quantify liver steatosis (Fibroscan®). NAFLD was defined by CAP values ≥238 dB.m(-1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  CKD stage III was present in 29 patients (46.8%) and CKD stage IV in 33 patients (53.2%). Out of 62 CKD patients 53 (85.5%) had NAFLD and of these 14/53 patients (26.4%) had also liver stiffness >7 kPa. The severity of liver steatosis was positively correlated with serum creatinine (r=0.399;p<0.01) and CRP (r=0.261; p<0.05) and negatively correlated with eGFR (r=-0.413; p<0.01) and serum iron concentration (r=-0.365; p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest a high prevalence of NAFLD in CKD patients. The severity of liver steatosis is negatively correlated with kidney function. The study documents the value of ultrasonographic elastography as an effective non-invasive screening method for the diagnosis of NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Division of Internal medicine, University Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mikolasevic
authors.forename: Sanjin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Racki
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bubic
authors.forename: Ita
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jelic
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stimac
authors.forename: Lidija
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orlic
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*