Ultrasonography-diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is not associated with prevalent ischemic heart disease among diabetics in a multiracial Asian hospital clinic population

Abstract

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cardiovascular diseases are both common among patients with diabetes mellitus.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine if ultrasonography-diagnosed NAFLD is associated with prevalent ischemic heart disease (IHD) among patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study on consecutive patients seen at the Diabetic Clinic, University of Malaya Medical Centre. The medical record for each patient was reviewed for documented IHD. Patients without documented IHD but had symptoms and/or electrocardiographic changes suggestive of IHD were referred for cardiac evaluation.

Results: Data for 399 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 62.8±10.5 years with 43.1% male. NAFLD and IHD were present in 49.6 and 26.6%, respectively. The prevalence of IHD among patients with and without NAFLD was 24.7 and 28.4%, respectively (P=0.414). The prevalence of IHD was highest among the Indians (34.1%) followed by the Malays (29.2%) and the Chinese (20.1%). No association was found between NAFLD and IHD when analyzed according to ethnicity. On multivariate analysis, independent factors associated with IHD were older age, lower levels of physical activity, greater waist circumference and higher serum glycated hemoglobin level.

Conclusions: Ultrasonography-diagnosed NAFLD was not associated with prevalent IHD among patients with diabetes mellitus in a multiracial Asian hospital clinic population.