Relationship of the Degree of Sarcopenia with the Severity of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents
Yoowon Kwon,
Jin A Chung,
You Jin Choi,
Yoo Min Lee,
So Yoon Choi,
In Hyuk Yoo,
Tae Hyeong Kim,
Su Jin Jeong
Affiliations
Yoowon Kwon
Department of Pediatrics, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Sejong 30099, Republic of Korea
Jin A Chung
Department of Pediatrics, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Republic of Korea
You Jin Choi
Department of Pediatrics, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Ilsan 10380, Republic of Korea
Yoo Min Lee
Department of Pediatrics, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon 14584, Republic of Korea
So Yoon Choi
Department of Pediatrics, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49267, Republic of Korea
In Hyuk Yoo
Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
Tae Hyeong Kim
Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea
Su Jin Jeong
Department of Pediatrics, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam 13496, Republic of Korea
The association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and sarcopenia has been suggested. We investigated sarcopenia’s impact on NAFLD severity and its relationship with cardiometabolic risk in adolescents. We conducted a retrospective study on 122 patients aged 13–18 years and diagnosed with both NAFLD and sarcopenia by laboratory tests, abdominal ultrasound (US), and multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Sarcopenia was stratified into tertiles based on the skeletal muscle-to-fat ratio (MFR), NAFLD severity was established by the US, and cardiometabolic risk was assessed by the triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index and the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP). Compared with the other patients, those in the lower MFR tertiles exhibited a greater severity of NAFLD (p p < 0.001). Based on the aforementioned results, the degree of sarcopenia can be considered as one of the risk factors of severe NAFLD and might be an indicator of cardiometabolic risk in adolescents. Weight training to reach the amount of muscle mass could be included in the treatment strategies to improve or prevent NAFLD in adolescents with sarcopenia.
