title: The NAFLD Index: A Simple and Accurate Screening Tool for the Prediction of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common debilitating condition in many industrialized countries that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to derive a simple and accurate screening tool for the prediction of NAFLD in the Japanese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 945 participants, 279 men and 666 women living in Hokkaido, Japan, were enrolled among residents who attended a health check-up program from 2010 to 2014. Participants with an alcohol consumption > 20 g/day and/or a chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C or autoimmune hepatitis, were excluded from this study. Clinical and laboratory data were examined to identify predictive markers of NAFLD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A new predictive index for NAFLD, the NAFLD index, was constructed for men and for women. The NAFLD index for men = -15.5693+0.3264 [BMI] +0.0134 [triglycerides (mg/dl)], and for women = -31.4686+0.3683 [BMI] +2.5699 [albumin (g/dl)] +4.6740[ALT/AST] -0.0379 [HDL cholesterol (mg/dl)]. The AUROC of the NAFLD index for men and for women was 0.87(95% CI 0.88-1.60) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.66-1.02), respectively. The cut-off point of -5.28 for men predicted NAFLD with an accuracy of 82.8%. For women, the cut-off point of -7.65 predicted NAFLD with an accuracy of 87.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A new index for the non-invasive prediction of NAFLD, the NAFLD index, was constructed using available clinical and laboratory data. This index is a simple screening tool to predict the presence of NAFLD.
authors.forename: Naohiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ichino
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osakabe
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hiroya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Hiroji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yukitake
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Tadayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamajima
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Senju
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawabe
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014280:Triglycerides
chemical_list: D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014280:Triglycerides; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human