Assessment of the co-incidence between non alcoholic fatty liver disease and carotid atherosclerosis.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common cause of abnormal liver biochemistry and cryptogenic cirrhosis. Those with NAFLD have a higher prevalence of atherosclerosis, as shown by increased carotid artery intimal media thickness (CIMT). The aim of this study is to assess the co-incidence and prevalence between NAFLD and carotid atherosclerosis. In this study seventy-two subjects were categorized into 2 groups. GI: 52 patients diagnosed as NAFLD with diabetes mellitus type 2 or obesity or hyperlipedemia. GII: 20 diseased controls diagnosed as NAFLD without other predisposing factor. CIMT and plaque prevalence were estimated by carotid ultrasonography as a single trained operator who was blind to clinical characteristics of participants. The results showed that CIMT by carotid duplex ultrasonography was significantly higher in group A than group B but CIMT did not reveal any significant difference as regards to the etiology of NAFLD. CIMT was significantly higher in cases with bright liver than those with homogenous liver (by abdominal US) in group I and II. CIMT was significantly higher in those with moderate steatosis than those with mild steatosis (in GI & GII).