Prevalence of obesity, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia in patients with cryptogenic liver cirrhosis.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is emerging as an important cause of cryptogenic cirrhosis. Obesity, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia are important risk factors for NASH. The presence of these risk factors in patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis may suggest NASH as an aetiology of cirrhosis in them. Twenty-five patients of cryptogenic cirrhosis were compared with 18 patients of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus related cirrhosis and primary biliary cirrhosis for the presence of obesity, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia. Patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis were found to have a significantly higher body - mass index increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus and lower high-density lipoprotein compared to the controls. Increased body weight and diabetes mellitus may play a role in the causation of cirrhosis in patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis.