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Hepatic steatosis, carotid atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome: the STEATO Study

  • Original Article—Liver, Pancreas, and Biliary Tract
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Hepatic steatosis is frequently observed in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS). In type 2 diabetics, it is independently associated with cardiovascular diseases. In order to confirm and extend this finding, a large group of patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis was studied.

Methods

Carotid atherosclerosis was investigated by echo-Doppler, and hepatic steatosis by ultrasound and transaminase values. Strict exclusion criteria were chosen in order to avoid secondary forms of fatty liver and interference on transaminase values.

Results

Among 970 enrolled patients, about 20% were diabetics, half had MS and 76% presented echographic hepatic steatosis. In multivariate analyses, fatty liver and MS were associated with carotid atherosclerosis [odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) 2.15 (1.27–3.63) and 1.72 (1.12–2.64), respectively], whereas HOMA index was not. Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were not independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis, whereas gamma-glutamyl transferase showed a link with atherosclerosis beyond MS and steatosis presence. The analyses of the 780 non diabetics recruited showed similar results.

Conclusions

The results of the present study demonstrate that hepatic steatosis measured by echography is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in a large population mostly carrying cardiovascular or metabolic risk factors, independently of MS, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and/or insulin resistance.

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Abbreviations

NAFLD:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

NASH:

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

MS:

Metabolic syndrome

BMI:

Body mass index

AST:

Aspartate aminotransferase

ALT:

Alanine aminotransferase

γGT:

Gamma-glutamyl transferase

HOMA:

Homeostatic model assessment

LDL:

Low density lipoprotein

HDL:

High density lipoprotein

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Acknowledgments

Financial support and funding were not received.

Conflict of interest statement

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metabolic Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine “G. Salvatore”, “Magna Græcia” University, Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy

    Claudio Carallo, Concetta Irace, Agostino Gnasso, Faustina Scavelli & Ferruccio Dell’Aquila

  2. Internal Medicine Unit, General Hospital, “Giovanni Paolo II”, Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy

    Gerardo Mancuso, Mosè Bartone & Francesco Gullo

  3. Internal Medicine Unit, General Hospital, San Giovanni in Fiore, Cosenza, Italy

    Gaetano Mauro, Maria Ferraro & Vitaliano Spagnuolo

  4. Internal Medicine Unit, General Hospital, Castrovillari, Cosenza, Italy

    Ferdinando Laghi, Maria Belmonte, Antonio Ferrara & Antonio Silvano Rotondaro

  5. Internal Medicine Unit, General Hospital, “Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli”, Reggio Calabria, Italy

    Bruno Madafferi, Nicola Brandolino, Francesca Parasporo & Francesco Scopelliti

Authors
  1. Claudio Carallo
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  2. Gerardo Mancuso
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  3. Gaetano Mauro
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  4. Ferdinando Laghi
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  5. Bruno Madafferi
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  6. Concetta Irace
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  7. Agostino Gnasso
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  8. Faustina Scavelli
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  9. Ferruccio Dell’Aquila
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  11. Francesco Gullo
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  12. Maria Ferraro
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  13. Vitaliano Spagnuolo
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  14. Maria Belmonte
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  15. Antonio Ferrara
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  17. Nicola Brandolino
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  18. Francesca Parasporo
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  19. Francesco Scopelliti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Agostino Gnasso.

Additional information

C. Carallo and G. Mancuso have contributed equally to the manuscript.

The online version of the editorial referring to this article can be found under doi: 10.1007/s00535-009-0140-9.

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Carallo, C., Mancuso, G., Mauro, G. et al. Hepatic steatosis, carotid atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome: the STEATO Study. J Gastroenterol 44, 1156–1161 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-009-0125-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-009-0125-8

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