Fatty Liver Disease Linked to CAD Risk

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a “driving force” behind coronary artery disease (CAD), according to results of a recent study.

The association between NAFLD and CAD has been debated in the past. In order to further examine this relationship, the researchers conducted a retrospective single-center study between 1995 and 2012, involving 5671 participants with 2 or more cardiovascular risk factors without previous cardiovascular events, a third of whom had NAFLD as defined by the fatty liver index.
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All participants underwent carotid ultrasonography at baseline, and 1872 had a follow-up ultrasonography at least 2 years after the initial evaluation.

Overall, carotid intima-media thickness and Framingham risk score increased across all fatty liver index quartiles. NAFLD predicted carotid intima-media thickness better than diabetes or dyslipidemia, and independently predicted carotid intima-media thickness and Framingham risk score after adjusting for metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors.

In the cohort with follow-up ultrasonography, carotid intima-media thickness increased in those with NAFLD, but no change was observed in those without NAFLD.

“In patients with metabolic syndrome at risk for cardiovascular events, [nonalcoholic fatty liver disease] contributes to early atherosclerosis and progression thereof, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors,” they concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Pais R, Giral P, Khan J, et al. Fatty liver is an independent predictor of early carotid atherosclerosis [published online April 26, 2016]. Hepatology. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2016.02.023