Predictive value of having positive family history of cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and hypertension in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients

In the present study, we examined the relationship between family history of cardiovascular diseases [CVD], dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes with laboratorial abnormalities and syndromes in Iranian patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD]. A total of 332 NAFLD patients from our outpatient clinic were consecutively entered into analysis. Exclusion criteria were having diabetes mellitus and fasting blood glucose over 126, active hepatitis B virus infection, having HCV positive serology, and to be under corticosteroid therapy. Family history of CVD, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension were taken from patients and related to the study variables. Family history of cardiovascular diseases [CVD] was associated with low HDL levels [P=0.05]. Patients with positive family history of diabetes mellitus were significantly more likely to have AST/ALT levels proportion of higher than one [P=0.044]. Family history of dyslipidemia was a predictor for hypertriglyceridemia [P=0.02], higher prothrombin time levels [P=0.013], lower albumin [P=0.024] and T4 [P=0.043] levels. Family history of hypertension was associated with dysglycemia/diabetes [P=0.038], high ALT [P-0.008], and low TIBC [P-0.007] and albumin levels [P=0.001]. Family history for CVD, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension were of clinical importance in the Iranian patients with NAFLD. We therefore recommend that physicians should precisely get family history of main disorders in all NAFLD patients; and to pay more attention to those having the mentioned family histories. Further studies with larger patient population and prospective approach are needed for confirming our findings