Evolution of prevalence and risk factors of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the elderly:an epide-miologic survey / 中国医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective This epidemiologic survey aims to investigate the changes in prevalence and risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)in the elderly people who are living within Pudong San-lin region.Methods We retrospectively analyzed annual physical check-up data in 2012 and 2014 for elderly people living in this region (aged≥70years).Demographic variables including age,sex,blood pressure,body mass index (BMI)were recorded.Serum fasting glucose level was determined and liver and kidney function were assessed.Abdominal echo-Doppler examination was performed.NAFLD was diagnosed according to Chinese guideline on management of NAFLD (revised version).Results Among 2127 sub-jects with physical check-up in 2012,the occurrence rate of NAFLD was 27.46% (23.02% and 31.02%for men and women,respectively).Type 2 diabetes was detected in 224 subjects and 33.93% of them de-veloped NAFLD (26.73% and 39.84% for males and females,respectively).Among 1771 subjects who received physical check-up in 2014,the occurrence rate of NAFLD increased up to 32.29%,with NAFLD rate being 29.97% and 34.19% for men and women,respectively.In 185 subjects with type 2 diabetes, 49.19% developed NAFLD (47.56% and 50.49% for men and women,respectively).Thus,compared with the findings during physical check-up in 2012,the occurrence rate of NAFLD was significantly in-creased during physical check-up in 2014 for both male and female subjects of overall and diabetic popula-tions (P <0.05 for all comparisons).Further analysis showed that for 185 diabetic patients who had phys-ical check-up in 2014,systolic and diastolic blood pressures,BMI,and serum levels of fasting glucose lev-el,alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,total cholesterol,and triglyceride were significant-ly higher in patients with NAFLD than in those without NAFLD (all P <0.05).Multivariate regression a-nalysis revealed that BMI,total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were independent risk factors for occur-rence of NAFLD in diabetic patients.Conclusions This epidemiologic survey demonstrates a significant increase in the occurrence rate of NAFLD for the elderly people (especially with type 2 diabetes).Hyper-lipidemia,obesity,and hypertension are major risk factors for NAFLD in diabetic patients.