title: Prevalence and sonographic changes compatible with fatty liver disease in patients referred for abdominal ultrasound examination in Aracaju, SE.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence and evaluate sonographic findings compatible with changes consistent with hepatic steatosis in patients referred for abdominal ultrasonography at four reference centers in Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, descriptive survey, with analytical and quantitative approach, comprising abdominal ultrasonography scans performed with a convex, dynamic 3.75 MHz transducer. Liver dimensions and parenchymal echotexture were evaluated, classifying hepatic steatosis into grades (1, 2 or 3). The SPSS(®) 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis, adopting p < 0.05 as significance level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 800 individuals (561 women and 239 men) were evaluated. The prevalence of steatosis was 29.1%, and the male patients were most affected, presenting with more advanced grades of disease (p = 0.021), as follows: 119 grade 1 (51.0%); 94 grade 2 (40.4%); and 20 grade 3 (8.6%). The median age patients' was 46 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study sample, the prevalence of hepatic steatosis was high, particularly in the male patients. Ultrasonography is suggested as a first choice for the diagnosis of this condition, considering its wide availability, low cost and absence of side effects or risks to the patient.
authors.affiliation: Master, Professor, Department of Medicine, Universidade Tiradentes, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Josilda Ferreira
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student of Medicine, Universidade Tiradentes, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Augusto Ferreira
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Physician, Fundação Hospitalar de Saúde, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Machado Neto
authors.affiliation: Physician, Department of Post-Graduation in Physiological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Demetrius Silva
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: de Santana
authors.affiliation: PhD, Professor, Department of Post-Graduation in Health and Environment, Universidade Tiradentes, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiane Costa da Cunha
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: PhD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Universidade Tiradentes, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sônia Oliveira
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Lima
keywords: Fatty liver; Prevalence; Ultrasonography