Characteristic Features of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients Who Are Diagnosed Accidentally on Ultrasound Basis

Abstract

Background:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common types of chronic liver diseases, characterized by excessive accumulation of fat inside hepatocytes. The vast majority of NAFLD patients are diagnosed incidentally during the course of assessment of unrelated symptoms.

Objective: To determine clinical and biochemical features of patients who are diagnosed accidentally as NAFLD on ultrasound basis.

Methods: The study was carried out in the period from March to June 2013 at EL Mahmoodiya general hospital in (Baghdad governorate). Thirty-six patients who were diagnosed accidentally on ultrasound basis as cases of nonalcoholic fatty liver were included successively in the study. To exclude patients with conditions associated with secondary fatty liver: None of the patients of the present study have ever taken alcohol. Anti HCV antibody and HBsAg were negative for all patients and none of them had been taking medications that can lead to fatty liver or were known to suffer from chronic liver disease. The mean age of the patients was 53.83 years, 18 patients (50%) were males and 18 (50%) were females.

Results: From the total 36 patients, 21 patients (58.33%) were hyperglycemic and the same percentage was dyslipidemic. All the patients were obese. Obesity, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia were more evident among females than males.

Conclusion: Obesity, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia are highly prevalent among NAFLD patients who were diagnosed accidentally on ultrasound basis, and the majority of these patients were unaware of their metabolic disorders like hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, facts that emphasize the importance of early screening of these NAFLD patients for pre-diabetes, diabetes and dyslipidemia.