title: Correlation between nonalcoholic fatty liver and cardiovascular disease in elderly hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The number of elderly patients with end-stage kidney disease is on the rise. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by parenchymal fat accumulation in patients without information about alcohol abuse. The aim of our study was to determine correlation between NAFLD and cardiovascular diseases in elderly hemodialysis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The examination was organized as observational and cross-sectional study in elderly patients on hemodialysis. An abdominal ultrasound examination was made in order to define NAFLD. Intima-media thickness of the carotid arteries was quantified by Doppler ultrasound. Biochemical parameters, gender, anthropometric characteristics, duration, adequacy of hemodialysis, blood pressure, smoking and cardiovascular disease were determined. Respondents were divided into a group with NAFLD (37/72 patients, 51 %) and group without NAFLD (35/72 patients, 49 %).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with NAFLD have significantly more cardiovascular disease (p = 0.017) as well as significantly higher values of intima-media thickness of the carotid arteries (p = 0.03) in correlation with patients without NAFLD. Patients without NAFLD have a statistically lower triglyceride (p = 0.04), aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.006), alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.013) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (p = 0.029) compared to patients with NAFLD. Patients with cardiovascular disease have a higher risk of NAFLD; likewise, patients with NAFLD have a three times higher chance for developing cardiovascular diseases (OR 3.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elderly patients on hemodialysis with cardiovascular disease have a higher risk of NAFLD; likewise, patients with NAFLD have a three times higher chance for developing cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Kragujevac, Clinic of Urology and Nephrology, Clinical Center Kragujevac, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovica 69, Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia. radojica.stolic@med.pr.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Radojica V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Stolic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Statistics and Informatics, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Goran Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Trajkovic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Pristina/K.Mitrovica, University of Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Mirjana M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kostic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Pristina/K.Mitrovica, University of Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Sasa R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Sovtic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Pristina/K.Mitrovica, University of Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Andrijana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Odalovic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Pristina/K.Mitrovica, University of Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Biljana D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Krdzic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Pristina/K.Mitrovica, University of Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Maja V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Sipic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Pristina/K.Mitrovica, University of Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Snezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lazic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Pristina/K.Mitrovica, University of Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zorica N
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Sojevic-Timotijevic
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Elderly people; Hemodialysis; Intima-media thickness; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Ultrasonography