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Bone marrow fat content is correlated with hepatic fat content in paediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

N Y Yu1, T Wolfson2, M S Middleton1

  • 1Liver Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.

Clinical Radiology
|January 9, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Bone marrow fat content is linked to liver fat in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study found a positive association between bone marrow fat and hepatic fat in pediatric NAFLD patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Hepatology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing concern in children.
  • Bone marrow fat accumulation may be an indicator of metabolic dysfunction.
  • Understanding the relationship between different fat depots is crucial for pediatric NAFLD management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between bone marrow fat content and liver fat content in children.
  • To determine if bone marrow fat fraction correlates with hepatic fat fraction in pediatric NAFLD.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study of 125 children with suspected or known NAFLD.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to quantify bone marrow proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and hepatic PDFF.
  • Abdominal adiposity, including visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT), was also assessed via MRI.

Main Results:

  • A significant positive association was found between bone marrow fat PDFF and hepatic PDFF in children with NAFLD (r=0.33, p=0.0002).
  • This association remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, BMI z-score, VAT, and SCAT (r=0.24, p=0.0079).

Conclusions:

  • Bone marrow fat content is positively associated with hepatic fat content in children with NAFLD.
  • These findings suggest bone marrow fat may serve as a potential biomarker in pediatric NAFLD.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the clinical and biological significance of this relationship.
Abstract

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