title: Common carotid intima-media thickness in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a population-based case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metabolic syndrome is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerosis. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has features of metabolic syndromes. This study aimed to investigate the association between NAFLD and atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a population-based study in southern Iran, asymptomatic adult inhabitants aged more than 20 years were selected through cluster random sampling, and were screened for the presence of fatty liver and common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), with abdominal and cervical ultrasonography, respectively. Those with fatty liver were compared to the same number of individuals without fatty liver.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and ninety individuals were found to have fatty change on abdominal ultrasonography, and were labeled NAFLD. Compared to normal individuals, NAFLD patients had significantly higher prevalence of increased CIMT (OR, 1.66; p<0.001). Those with hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), higher waist circumference (WC) and older ages had significantly higher prevalence of thick CIMT. Through adjusting the effects of different variables, we indicated that NAFLD could be an independent risk factor for thick common carotid intima-media (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.17-3.09; p=0.009). It was also shown that age could be another independent risk factor for thick CIMT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with risk factors such as HTN, DM, and high WC are prone to develop atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. The presence of NAFLD should be considered as another probable independent factor contributing to the development of carotid atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Zand Blvd., Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Kamran B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lankarani
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
authors.forename: Mehrzad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lotfi
authors.forename: Nima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zamiri
authors.forename: Sayed Taghi
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Heydari
authors.forename: Fariborz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghaffarpasand
authors.forename: Mohammad Kazem
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Fallahzadeh
authors.forename: Meisam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babaeinejad
authors.forename: Najmeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maharlouei
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mirzaee
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geramizadeh
authors.forename: Payam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peymani
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference