Prevalence and Independent Factors for Fatty Liver and Significant Hepatic Fibrosis Using B-Mode Ultrasound Imaging...

Exercise is beneficial for metabolic syndrome. Fatty liver and significant hepatic fibrosis, hepatic manifestations of metabolic syndrome, are becoming an epidemic. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of fatty liver and significant fibrosis and examined the independent factors for these conditions.

We enrolled 1,361 health check-up examinees (median age, 53 years; female/male, 813/548). Fatty liver and fibrosis were evaluated by B-mode ultrasound imaging and shear wave elastography. Factors associated with fatty liver and significant fibrosis were analyzed by logistic regression analysis.

Fatty liver and significant fibrosis were observed in 50.5% and 42.7% of enrolled subjects, respectively. Independent factors associated with fatty liver were BMI (OR 1.46; 95%CI 1.397-1.537; P<0.0001) and no exer cise habits (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.101-1.984; P=0.0093). Independent factors associated with significant fibrosis were age, female, BMI (OR 1.37; 95%CI 1.311-1.436; P<0.0001), and no exercise habits (OR 1.49; 95% CI 1.102-2.031; P=0.0097).

Fatty liver and significant fibrosis were frequently seen in health check-up examinees and the common independent factors were higher BMI and no exercise habits. Thus, weight loss and exercise may ameliorate fatty liver and significant hepatic fibrosis in the general population.