ABSTRACT
Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] is a heterogeneous condition that contains steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH], in the nonexistence of significant alcohol consumption, reaching 30% of the populace. The most common risk features are: age, ethnicity, gender, obesity, drugs, diabetes mellitus [DM], insulin resistance [IR], predisposition, metabolic syndrome [MS], and polycystic ovary syndrome
Materials and Methods: Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were evaluated, with medical and epidemiological data collected after informed consent at King Abdulaziz Hospital
Results: Of the 124 patients evaluated, 75.8% were women, and 88 were aged between 49 and 70 years and had no symptoms. Ultrasonography results showed steatosis in 84%. NASH was diagnosed in 75 patients of the sample. 42 patients underwent liver biopsy, of which 36% had cirrhosis, 1 had liver cancer, and 1 pure steatosis [5% each]. Risk factors were found in 70% of patients with metabolic syndrome, 87% with increased waist circumference, 63% with dyslipidemia, 61% [n=76] with high blood pressure [HBP], 28% with DM, 52% physically inactive, and 44% with insulin resistance [IR] [HOMA> 3.5]. There was an association between IR and NASH [p=0.011], IR and obesity [p=0.031], IR and MS [p=0.007], and MS and steatosis on medical ultrasound [USG] [p=0.012]
Conclusion: The results indicated that the most frequent risk factors were MS and its variables: increased waist circumference, dyslipidemia and HBP. This highlights the significance of metabolic control in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and confirms its role as the hepatic component of metabolic syndrome