The NAFLD Index: A Simple and Accurate Screening Tool for the Prediction of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common debilitating condition in many industrialized countries that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to derive a simple and accurate screening tool for the prediction of NAFLD in the Japanese population. METHODS: A total of 945 participants, 279 men and 666 women living in Hokkaido, Japan, were enrolled among residents who attended a health check-up program from 2010 to 2014. Participants with an alcohol consumption > 20 g/day and/or a chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C or autoimmune hepatitis, were excluded from this study. Clinical and laboratory data were examined to identify predictive markers of NAFLD. RESULTS: A new predictive index for NAFLD, the NAFLD index, was constructed for men and for women. The NAFLD index for men = -15.5693+0.3264 [BMI] +0.0134 [triglycerides (mg/dl)], and for women = -31.4686+0.3683 [BMI] +2.5699 [albumin (g/dl)] +4.6740[ALT/AST] -0.0379 [HDL cholesterol (mg/dl)]. The AUROC of the NAFLD index for men and for women was 0.87(95% CI 0.88-1.60) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.66-1.02), respectively. The cut-off point of -5.28 for men predicted NAFLD with an accuracy of 82.8%. For women, the cut-off point of -7.65 predicted NAFLD with an accuracy of 87.7%. CONCLUSION: A new index for the non-invasive prediction of NAFLD, the NAFLD index, was constructed using available clinical and laboratory data. This index is a simple screening tool to predict the presence of NAFLD.

The stiffness parameter ß assessed by an ultrasonic phase-locked echo-tracking system is associated with plaque formation in the common carotid artery.

PURPOSE: Assessment of plaque formation in the common carotid artery (CCA) is important for stratification of the risk of subsequent stroke. The stiffness parameter ß, which can be assessed using an ultrasonic phase-locked echo-tracking system, was developed to evaluate arterial stiffness. The purpose this study was to examine the relationship of the stiffness parameter ß to intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque formation. METHODS: The stiffness parameter ß and mean IMT were measured using an ultrasonic phase-locked echo-tracking system and an automatic IMT measurement system, respectively, and the presence of plaque was assessed by ultrasonography in 347 subjects who took part in a health check-up program for community-dwelling people in Hokkaido. RESULTS: Values of the stiffness parameter ß were significantly higher in subjects with plaque formation than in those without plaque (10.60 ± 0.45 vs. 8.88 ± 0.23, P < 0.005) in whom IMT was not thickened; however, it was not different in subjects with increased IMT (>1.0 mm). The percentage of plaque formation was significantly correlated with the value of the stiffness parameter ß. Furthermore, the stiffness parameter ß was significantly correlated with plaque formation after adjustment for several clinical variables (odds ratio 1.113-1.178, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The stiffness parameter ß is associated with plaque formation in the CCA, especially in subjects with a normal IMT. This could potentially be used as a predictor for plaque formation.