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[Prevalence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Comparative study with diabetic patients]
R Bernal-Reyes1, A Sáenz-Labra, R Bernardo-Escudero
1Servicio de Gastroenterología, Escuela de Medicina de la UAEH, Hospital General de Zona No. 1 del IMSS, en Pachuca, Hgo., C.P. 42080 México.
Background:
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a not very well known disease; it has been described principally in obese and diabetic women without significant alcohol consumption. The women are practically asymptomatic, and the hepatic function test (HFT) shows minimal changes. The liver biopsy findings are identical to those found in alcoholic liver disease. NASH may progress to cirrhosis.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of NASH in a Mexican community.
Methods:
In the City of Pachuca, Mexico, we studied volunteers of both sexes who were between the ages of 17 and 75 years, all with an alcohol consumption of < 20 g/week without any known hepatic disease. A clinical review, laboratory test, and hepatic ultrasound were carried out. Subjects with HFT and ultrasound disorders were invited to continue the study with a hepatic biopsy.
Results:
Ninety-seven volunteers completed the study, of whom 70 were non-diabetics and 27 were diabetics. Ten patients (10.3%) had NASH confirmed by hepatic biopsy; the prevalence in diabetics was 18.5% and in non-diabetics, 7.1%. In spite of the differences between NASH patients and the control group concerning gender, age, and diabetic status, there was no significant statistical difference except for the gallbladder antecedent.
Conclusions:
The prevalence of NASH was 10.3% in the studied group. NASH is more frequent in diabetics and women, but without a significant statistical difference. However, the odds ratio (OR) analysis shows diabetes and female sex to be a risk factor for NASH; therefore it is probable than our sample size is not large enough.