BMC Gastroenterology (Jun 2023)

Risk of cardiovascular disease in lean patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

  • Shun Ishido,
  • Nobuharu Tamaki,
  • Yuka Takahashi,
  • Naoki Uchihara,
  • Keito Suzuki,
  • Yuki Tanaka,
  • Haruka Miyamoto,
  • Michiko Yamada,
  • Hiroaki Matsumoto,
  • Tsubasa Nobusawa,
  • Taisei Keitoku,
  • Kenta Takaura,
  • Shohei Tanaka,
  • Chiaki Maeyashiki,
  • Yutaka Yasui,
  • Kaoru Tsuchiya,
  • Hiroyuki Nakanishi,
  • Masayuki Kurosaki,
  • Namiki Izumi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-023-02848-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 1
pp. 1 – 6

Abstract

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Abstract Background Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are highly at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the risk of developing CVD in patients with lean NAFLD is not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the CVD incidence in Japanese patients with lean NAFLD and those with non-lean NAFLD. Methods A total of 581 patients with NAFLD (219 with lean and 362 with non-lean NAFLD) were recruited. All patients underwent annual health checkups for at least 3 years, and CVD incidence was investigated during follow-up. The primary end-point was CVD incidence at 3 years. Results The 3-year new CVD incidence rates in patients with lean and non-lean NAFLD were 2.3% and 3.9%, respectively, and there was no significant difference between two groups (p = 0.3). Multivariable analysis adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, and lean NAFLD/non-lean NAFLD revealed that age (every 10 years) as an independent factor associated with CVD incidence with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3–3.4), whereas lean NAFLD was not associated with CVD incidence (OR: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.2–1.9). Conclusions CVD incidence was comparable between patients with lean NAFLD and those with non-lean NAFLD. Therefore, CVD prevention is needed even in patients with lean NAFLD.

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