Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Cardiovascular Patients, Frequency, Risk Factors and Clinical Patterns in Qena Governorate

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and liver disorders, like Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), are major global health concerns, linked to significant morbidity and mortality. Objectives: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of NAFLD in cardiac patients and identify risk factors contributing to its development. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted at Qena University Hospital, Egypt (April 2022–April 2023) on 100 cardiovascular patients. Assessments involved clinical, diagnostic, and laboratory methods, including liver function, lipid profile, abdominal ultrasonography, ECG, echocardiography, hepatitis testing, BMI, waist size, FibroScan, and NAFLD severity assessment. Results: In a study of 24 adult NAFLD patients compared to 76 non-NAFLD cases, significant findings included NAFLD at S2 (62.5%) and S3 (37.5%) stages, all with F2 fibrosis. Significant gender distribution difference (p=0.014) with fewer males (33.3%). NAFLD patients were younger (60.08 vs. 63.92 years, p=0.0053) with higher BMI (32.62 vs. 29.66 kg/m2, p<0.001). Clinical characteristics showed significant increases in hypertension, diabetes, and other conditions in NAFLD (p<0.001). Cardiac differences included lower ejection fraction (p<0.001) and larger left atrial diameter (p=0.001) in NAFLD. Lipid profile variations included higher total cholesterol (p=0.034), LDL-C (p<0.001), and lower HDL-C (p<0.001) in NAFLD. Elevated liver function markers in NAFLD (p<0.001), with lower NFS score (p=0.012). Trends indicated a non-significant increase in cirrhosis prevalence in NAFLD (p=0.166), higher liver stiffness (p<0.001), and CAP score (p<0.001). Conclusion: NAFLD significantly increase in Cardiac patients and significantly associated with factors like sex, age, BMI, chronic diseases, obesity, hyperlipidemia and heart diseases.

Keywords

• nafld cardiovascular events
• metabolic syndrome cardiometabolic risk