Family history of coronary heart disease as an important predictor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

    ZHANG Lei, PU Kui, ZHANG Suª²Yan, REN Wenª²Qi

    Department of Cardiology, Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing Military Area Command, Department of Medicare, PLA 254 Hospital, Tianjin 300142, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To explore the relationship between family history of coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, and diabetes with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: Two hundred and two healthy office workers with no evidence of excessive alcohol drinking or hepatitis B or C virus infection were enrolled in the present study performed from March to June in 2004, and underwent liver ultrasound examination for diagnosing NAFLD. RESULTS: NAFLD was identified in 68 subjects (33.7%) by abdominal ultrasound. Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of CHD family history increased the risk of NAFLD by 2.25ª²fold (P=0.014), while family history of diabetes or hypertension did not increased the risk. In combination with the presence of a family history of CHD, the effect on odds ratios (ORs) was increased for several metabolic features in predicting the incidence of NAFLD, including increased waist circumference (OR=3.548, 95%CI: 1.895-6.643, P<0.001 vs OR=3.512, 95%CI: 1.831-6.737, P<0.001), hypertriglyceridemia (OR=4.549, 95%CI: 2.380-8.695, P<0.001 vs OR=4.012, 95%CI: 2.295-8.481, P<0.001), hypertension (OR=2.038, 95%CI: 1.065-3.899, P=0.031 vs OR=1.633, 95%CI: 0.820-3.251, P=0.163), and the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome (OR=4.505, 95%CI: 2.032-9.986, P<0.001 vs OR=4.347, 95%CI: 1.834-10.300, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: CHD family history is an important risk factor for the occurrence of NAFLD. ......