Association between anthropometric parameters and measurements of liver stiffness by transient elastography

We investigated the association between anthropometric parameters and results of liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) by transient elastography in healthy subjects and patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

We analyzed anthropometric and LSM data from 658 healthy subjects (37% male; mean age, 47 ± 11 years; body mass index [BMI], 21.8 ± 3.0 kg/m(2); LSM, 4.4 ± 1.6 kPa) and 247 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD (50% male; mean age, 48 ± 11 years; BMI, 28.6 ± 6.5 kg/m(2); LSM, 9.6 ± 8.7 kPa). Healthy subjects were defined as individuals without viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, or NAFLD. We investigated associations between anthropometric parameters, including BMI and waist circumference, and LSM.

LSMs were slightly higher among healthy subjects with BMIs ≤ 18.5 kg/m(2) (n = 84, 4.8 ± 1.5 kPa) and BMIs of 25-29.9 kg/m(2) (n = 76, 5.3 ± 2.2 kPa) than those with BMIs of 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2) (n = 492, 4.5 ± 1.9 kPa; P = .16 by analysis of variance). Among patients with NAFLD of Brunt fibrosis stage 0 or 1, LSMs were lowest among those with BMIs of 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2) (stage 0: n = 34, 5.5 ± 2.2 kPa; stage 1: n = 18, 7.2 ± 3.8 kPa). LSMs were higher among those with BMIs of 25-29.9 kg/m(2) (stage 0: n = 41, 6.1 ± 1.3 kPa; stage 1: n = 26, 7.9 ± 3.5 kPa) and highest for those with BMIs ≥30 kg/m(2) (stage 0: n = 13, 8.5 ± 2.2 kPa; stage 1: n = 22, 11.7 ± 5.2 kPa) (P < .001 and P = .002, respectively, by analysis of variance). High BMI was independently associated with high LSM, in addition to fibrosis stage, among patients with NAFLD. Patients with different waist circumferences had comparable LSMs.

BMI ≥30 kg/m(2) is associated with higher LSMs in patients with NAFLD, after adjusting for fibrosis stage.