Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and 10-year risk of cardiovascular diseases.
OBJECTIVE
The association between cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was confirmed by a large body of evidence. This study was conducted to determine the association between NAFLD and 10-year CVD risk.


METHODS
This study utilized the data of 2804 subjects aged 40-74 years from a cohort study of northern Iran. Two CVD risk assessment tools, American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and Framingham general cardiovascular risk profile for use in primary care, were utilized to determine the 10-year CVD risk in patients with NAFLD and the individuals without this condition. The mean risks were compared between these two groups.


RESULTS
Using ACC/AHA approach, the mean risk in male participants suffering NAFLD was 14.2%, while in men without NAFLD was 11.7% (P-value < 0.0001). Using Framingham approach, the mean risks were 16.0 and 12.7% in men with and without NAFLD, respectively (P-value < 0.0001). Using ACC/AHA approach, the mean risks in female participants with and without NAFLD were 6.7 and 4.6%, respectively (P-value < 0.0001). Applying Framingham approach, the mean risk was 8.2% in women with NAFLD and 5.4% in women without NAFLD (P-value < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The individuals with NAFLD had a higher risk of 10-year CVD events than individuals without NAFLD, according to both ACC/AHA tool and primary care version of Framingham tool. A large proportion of NAFLD patients fulfill the criteria of statin therapy recommendation, suggesting that statin therapy could reduce 10-year CVD risk in NAFLD patients.
Department of Social Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Gavazang Road, Zanjan 45139-56184, Iran. Electronic address: nima.motamed@gmail.com.
Nima
N
Motamed
Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GILDRC), Tehran Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Beh Afarin St., Karim Khan Zand Ave, Tehran 15900, Iran. Electronic address: behnam.rabiee@gmail.com.
Behnam
B
Rabiee
Digestive Diseases Research Institute (DDRI), Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Kargar Shomali Ave, Tehran 14117-13135, Iran. Electronic address: h.poustchi@gmail.com.
Hossein
H
Poustchi
Center for Cardiovascular Research, Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8086, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA. Electronic address: bdehestani@dom.wustl.edu.
Babak
B
Dehestani
Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GILDRC), Tehran Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Beh Afarin St., Karim Khan Zand Ave, Tehran 15900, Iran. Electronic address: hemmasi46@yahoo.com.
Gholam Reza
GR
Hemasi
Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GILDRC), Tehran Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Beh Afarin St., Karim Khan Zand Ave, Tehran 15900, Iran. Electronic address: khonsarimahmoodreza@gmail.com.
Mahmood Reza
MR
Khonsari
Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GILDRC), Tehran Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Beh Afarin St., Karim Khan Zand Ave, Tehran 15900, Iran. Electronic address: maadi_mansooreh@yahoo.com.
Mansooreh
M
Maadi
Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GILDRC), Tehran Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Beh Afarin St., Karim Khan Zand Ave, Tehran 15900, Iran. Electronic address: fs_saeedian@yahoo.com.
Fatemeh Sima
FS
Saeedian
Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GILDRC), Tehran Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Beh Afarin St., Karim Khan Zand Ave, Tehran 15900, Iran. Electronic address: zamani.farhad@gmail.com.
Farhad
F
Zamani
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol
10-years cardiovascular risk; Epidemiology; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease