[Ultrasonic and laboratory studies on fatty liver in white-collar workers]

Ultrasonic and laboratory studies were performed in 816 white-collar workers over 35 years old who received health examination. Prevalence of fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonography was 17.9% in all subjects and was maximum (24.4%) in males 45-49 years of age. Obesity index and body mass index were higher in fatty liver than in normal controls. Serum levels of glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), cholinesterase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP), triglyceride, total cholesterol, uric acid, HbA1c and glucose were significantly higher, and a serum level of HDL-cholesterol was significantly lower in males with fatty liver than in controls with obesity. Prevalence of abnormal laboratory findings in fatty liver was also shown, and prevalence of fatty liver was prominently high in males with severe obesity or with mild elevation of GPT. A major cause of fatty liver was considered as obesity. In conclusion, fatty liver was a common cause of liver dysfunction and was closely related to risk factors for atherosclerosis especially in white-collar workers.