Ki-Chul Sung1, Mi-Yeon Lee2, Jong-Young Lee3, Sung-Ho Lee3, Jang-Young Kim4, Sarah H Wild5, Christopher D Byrne6. 1. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kcmd.sung@samsung.com. 2. Division of Biostatistics, Department of R&D Management, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 3. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 4. Department of Cardiology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea. 5. Centre for Population Health Sciences, Lothian Place University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. 6. Endocrinology and Metabolism Unit, IDS Building, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Southampton National Institute for Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. Electronic address: c.d.byrne@soton.ac.uk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is uncertain whether resolution of fatty liver can improve cardiovascular disease risk factors, independently of changes in body mass index (BMI). Our aim was to test whether resolution of fatty liver is associated with improvements in components of the lipid profile, independently of changes in BMI, and to quantify and compare the magnitude of benefit of resolution of liver fat, and decreases in BMI on the lipid profile. METHODS: 36,195 subjects with fatty liver were studied. Persistence/resolution of fatty liver was determined by ultrasound at follow up (mean = 4.93 years). Total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoproteins were measured at baseline and follow up. Regression modelling was undertaken to test the independence of associations between change in fatty liver status or change in BMI, with any change in lipid profile concentrations between baseline and follow up. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age was 36.3 ± 6.6 and 39.8 ± 8.7 years (men and women, respectively). Resolution of fatty liver occurred in 7,086, and persisted in 29,109 subjects. Mean ± SD weight change was -3.2 ± 4.3 (∼1 kg/m2 decrease in BMI) with resolution of, and +0.5 ± 3.5 kg with persistence of fatty liver, respectively. Both resolution of fatty liver and decrease in BMI were independently associated with improvements in all components of the lipid profile and there was a similar magnitude of benefit associated with resolution of fatty liver, or 1 kg/m2 decrease in BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Resolution of fatty liver improves the lipid profile, independently of weight loss.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is uncertain whether resolution of fatty liver can improve cardiovascular disease risk factors, independently of changes in body mass index (BMI). Our aim was to test whether resolution of fatty liver is associated with improvements in components of the lipid profile, independently of changes in BMI, and to quantify and compare the magnitude of benefit of resolution of liver fat, and decreases in BMI on the lipid profile. METHODS: 36,195 subjects with fatty liver were studied. Persistence/resolution of fatty liver was determined by ultrasound at follow up (mean = 4.93 years). Total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoproteins were measured at baseline and follow up. Regression modelling was undertaken to test the independence of associations between change in fatty liver status or change in BMI, with any change in lipid profile concentrations between baseline and follow up. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age was 36.3 ± 6.6 and 39.8 ± 8.7 years (men and women, respectively). Resolution of fatty liver occurred in 7,086, and persisted in 29,109 subjects. Mean ± SD weight change was -3.2 ± 4.3 (∼1 kg/m2 decrease in BMI) with resolution of, and +0.5 ± 3.5 kg with persistence of fatty liver, respectively. Both resolution of fatty liver and decrease in BMI were independently associated with improvements in all components of the lipid profile and there was a similar magnitude of benefit associated with resolution of fatty liver, or 1 kg/m2 decrease in BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Resolution of fatty liver improves the lipid profile, independently of weight loss.