Prevalence of fatty liver in metabolic syndrome

In Western world, non-alcohlic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered to be the commonest liver problem, and it is being recognised as a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. As the prevalence of overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome increases, NASH may become one of the more common causes of end stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. But much information is not available in this association. So an attempt has been made to correlate both.

The aims of this study are: 1. to study the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver in metabolic syndrome; and 2. to study the correlation between the non-alcoholic fatty liver and metabolic syndrome along with its individual components.

The study was an observational and analytical study of patients attending OPD and indoor patients of the Department of Medicine, G.G.S. Medical College and Hospital Faridkot. In total, 100 patients diagnosed as metabolic syndrome according to the NCEP ATP III criteria were subjected to ultrasonography; age and sex matched 100 controls were also taken; and the relationship between metabolic syndrome and NAFLD was studied.

In total, 73% cases of metabolic syndrome according to NCEP ATPIII were having fatty liver, while in controls 38% persons were having fatty liver which is statistically significant.

Fatty liver was found to be highly prevalent in metabolic syndrome, and the early detection of fatty liver can help in modifying the disease course and delaying more serious complications like cirrhosis of liver and hepatocellular carcinoma.