Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in obese and nonobese pediatric patients

Obesity is risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, nonobese patients are also increasingly susceptible to NAFLD. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics of obese and nonobese pediatric patients with NAFLD.

We retrospectively studied 68 patients who were diagnosed with NAFLD between January 2010 and October 2016 at 10-18 years of age. Body mass index ≥95th percentile for age and sex was defined as obesity. Abdominal ultrasonography and laboratory, anthropometrics measurements were evaluated.

Among the 68, 26 (38.2%) were nonobese patients. The ratio of male to female was 5.8:1, and the median age at diagnosis was 13 years (range, 10-17 years). Significant higher triglyceride (223.0 mg/dL vs. 145.9 mg/dL, P=0.047) and total cholesterol levels (211.6 mg/dL vs. 173.2 mg/dL, P=0.011) were shown in nonobese than obese patients. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol level <40 mg/dL (hazard ratio [HR], 6.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.13-7.10; P=0.048), total cholesterol level >200mg/dL (HR, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.23-15.31; P=0.038) and abdominal obesity (HR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.22-4.68; P=0.013) were significant risk factors for NAFLD in nonobese patients.

Nonobese patients present a substantial proportion of pediatric NAFLD cases. Significant abnormal lipid concentrations were found in nonobese and abdominal obesity was important risk factor for nonobese NAFLD.