About Careers MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Higher Mortality Rate in Lean Patients With Fatty Liver Disease

by Himabindu Venkatakrishnan on May 5, 2014 at 1:20 PM
Font : A-A+

 Higher Mortality Rate in Lean Patients With Fatty Liver Disease

Lean patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have higher overall mortality rate than obese persons, despite being of a healthier weight, reports a new research presented today at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW). In addition to finding higher mortality rates, an international team of researchers found that lean patients [a body mass index (BMI) less than 25] with NAFLD were more likely to be male, non-Caucasian and to have lower rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension.

"Our comparison of lean patients and their overweight or obese counterparts gives us clues about risk factors for this disease that go beyond a person's weight," said Paul Angulo, MD, section chief of hepatology in the division of digestive diseases and nutrition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. "These findings have implications both for future research and for current standards of care. We must not assume that patients of relatively healthy weight can't have fatty liver disease."

Advertisement

The retrospective study is the first of its kind in detailing the characteristics of a large number of lean patients with NAFLD. The study examined more than 20 years' worth of clinical and laboratory data of more than 1,000 patients with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD. Lean patients had an average BMI of 23 and the non-lean group had an average BMI of 33.

The lean group had significantly less insulin resistance as well as lower levels of a liver enzyme called alanine aminotransferase (ALT) that correlates with liver damage. And while lean patients had a lower degree of fatty deposits on the liver and less advanced fibrosis, these patients showed more severe inflammation of the liver.
Advertisement

Of the 1,090 patients, liver biopsy was done before 2005 in 483 patients. In this subgroup, nine of the 32 (28 percent) lean patients died compared to 62 of the 451 (14 percent) overweight or obese patients. In examining the specific cause of mortality, researchers did not find any differences between the two groups.

"About 30 percent of the U.S. population suffers from NAFLD, and the prevalence of this condition is increasing. Although we often associate fatty liver disease with obese patients, these results suggest that possible signs of liver disease secondary to NAFLD in lean patients should be taken very seriously," said Dr. Angulo.

Dr. Angulo and his team plan to expand on their findings about this specific patient population by examining data beyond BMI, including fat distribution and differences in cell signaling proteins, such as cytokine and adipokine profiles. They also plan to include patients who have not yet had a liver biopsy.

Dr. Paul Angulo will present data from the study "Characteristics and long-term prognosis of lean patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease," abstract 379, on Sunday, May 4, at 2:45 p.m. CT, in room S405A of McCormick Place. For more information about featured studies, as well as a schedule of availability for featured researchers, please visit www.ddw.org.

Source: Eurekalert
Advertisement

Advertisement

Recommended Reading

Latest Research News

 Nearly 1 In 5 UK Adults Experience Negative Responses to Sounds
How many people in the UK have misophonia? In a representative sample study, most people had at least some irritation upon hearing trigger sounds.
Why Are 1 in 8 Indians at Risk of Irreversible Blindness
Routine eye-checkups and mass screenings enable early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. Late-stage glaucoma diagnosis leads to blindness.
 Blind People Feel Their Heartbeat Better Than Those With Sight
Brain plasticity following blindness leads to superior ability in sensing signals from the heart, which has implications for bodily awareness and emotional processing.
New Biomarkers Help Detect Alzheimer's Disease Early
A group of scientists were awarded £1.3 million to create a new “point of care testing” kit that detects Alzheimer's disease biomarkers.
Bone Health and Dementia: Establishing a Link
Is there a connection between Osteoporosis and dementia? Yes, loss in bone density may be linked to an increased risk of dementia in older age.
View All
open close
ASK A DOCTOR ONLINE

×

Higher Mortality Rate in Lean Patients With Fatty Liver Disease Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests