Association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and arterial stiffness in the non-obese, non-hypertensive, and non-diabetic young and middle-aged Chinese population

Abstract

Background and objective: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with arterial stiffness in the general population. Age, obesity, hypertension, and diabetics are risk factors for arterial stiffness. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between NAFLD and arterial stiffness as measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in the non-obese, non-hypertensive, and non-diabetic young and middle-aged Chinese population. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 1296 non-obese, non-hypertensive, and non-diabetic young and middle-aged (20-65 years) subjects undergoing routine medical check-ups in the International Health Care Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine of Zhejiang University was carried out. Fatty liver was diagnosed by ultrasonography, and baPWV was measured using an automatic waveform analyzer. The subjects were classified into two groups according to the presence of NAFLD, and divided into a further two groups according to their baPWV. Results: The overall incidence of NAFLD was 19.0%, and NAFLD patients had a significantly higher level of baPWV than the controls ((1321±158) cm/s vs. (1244±154) cm/s; P<0.001). The incidence of NAFLD was clearly higher in the increased baPWV group than in the normal baPWV group (29.3% vs. 16.9%; P<0.001), and the incidence increased in line with the increase of baPWV quartiles in the normal range as well as with the severity of arterial stiffness (both P for trend <0.001). Multiple linear logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of NAFLD was positively and independently associated with baPWV. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the presence of NAFLD is associated with arterial stiffness as measured by baPWV in the non-obese, non-hypertensive, and non-diabetic young and middle-aged Chinese population.

Arterial hypertension, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: is there any connection?

“…This indicates the possible involvement of inflammation in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. A significant increase in CRP index, which is independently associated with PVPW and AWS increase, confirmed the hypothesis [117]. Another point of view on the pathogenetic mechanisms of AWS increase is associated with the total blood viscosity.…”

“…In addition, PVPW does not increase in the early stages of atherosclerosis and increases with the development of atherosclerotic plaques, mainly due to calcification of the arterial wall [31]. The increase in AWS in NAFLD was found [115][116][117]. However, the pathogenetic mechanisms of AWS formation in patients with NAFLD are completely unclear.…”

Liver fibrosis staging using T1 mapping on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI compared with DW imaging

“…1 In China, the most common cause of chronic liver disease is hepatitis B virus (HBV); however, recently, the rate of non-alcoholic fatty liver has been increasing. 2 The end stage of liver fibrosis is liver cirrhosis and it usually progresses irreversibly to a decompensated stage, which is characterised by liver functional impairment and portal hypertension. Cirrhosis substantially increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhotic complications, and death.…”

Arterial Stiffness and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Which is the Chicken and Which is the Egg?

“…Thus, people with prediabetes and those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), in whom the prevalence of NAFLD is approximately 90% [2], did not have AS [12]. The results of this study were reinforced by another large study in 1,296 Chinese subjects [13], which suggested that NAFLD is prevalent and related with AS in normotensive, non-diabetic young and middle-aged subjects [13]. This means that there was increased AS related to NAFLD in the absence of major NAFLD risk factors, suggesting that AS is the major pathogenetic mechanism of NAFLD/NASH [13].…”