Frequency of Dyslipidemia in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients

Ayesha Kiran; Najam Un Nasir; Muhammad Irfan Jamil

doi:10.70749/ijbr.v1i2.1935

Authors

Ayesha Kiran Department of Medicine, National Hospital and Medical Center, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Najam Un Nasir Department of Medicine, National Hospital and Medical Center, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Muhammad Irfan Jamil Department of Internal Medicine, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v1i2.1935

Keywords:

NAFLD, Dyslipidemia, Hepatic Steatosis, Lipid Profile, Metabolic Risk

Abstract

Background and Objective: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is frequently associated with dyslipidemia, contributing to increased cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and patterns of dyslipidemia in NAFLD patients and its association with hepatic steatosis severity and clinical risk factors. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over six months (March 2024 to August 2024) at the Department of Medicine, National Hospital and Medical Center, Lahore. A total of 116 adults with ultrasonographically confirmed NAFLD were enrolled using consecutive sampling. Baseline clinical and demographic data were collected. Fasting lipid profiles were obtained, and dyslipidemia was defined according to established guidelines. Hepatic steatosis was graded as mild, moderate, or severe. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Results: Dyslipidemia was identified in 86 (74.1%) patients. Elevated triglycerides (57.8%) and low HDL cholesterol (55.2%) were the most frequent abnormalities, followed by elevated LDL cholesterol (50.0%) and total cholesterol (44.8%). Multiple lipid abnormalities were observed in 48 (41.4%) patients. The prevalence of dyslipidemia increased with steatosis severity: 58.8% in mild, 76.9% in moderate, and 86.7% in severe cases (p = 0.008). Elevated triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol were also significantly associated with steatosis grade (p = 0.003 and p = 0.019, respectively). Dyslipidemia was more common in males (80.9% vs 64.6%, p = 0.041), patients aged ≥45 years (81.4% vs 68.5%, p = 0.032), obese individuals (88.2%, p = 0.004), and those with a family history of dyslipidemia (87.8%, p = 0.014). Conclusion: Dyslipidemia is highly prevalent in NAFLD and correlates with steatosis severity and key metabolic risk factors. Regular lipid screening and comprehensive management are essential in this population.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Younossi, Z. M., Koenig, A. B., Abdelatif, D., Fazel, Y., Henry, L., & Wymer, M. (2016). Global epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease—meta‐analytic assessment of prevalence, incidence, and outcomes. Hepatology, 64(1), 73-84. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.28431

2. Anstee, Q. M., Targher, G., & Day, C. P. (2013). Progression of NAFLD to diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease or cirrhosis. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 10(6), 330-344. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2013.41

3. Cotter, T. G., & Rinella, M. (2020). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease 2020: The state of the disease. Gastroenterology, 158(7), 1851-1864. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2020.01.052

4. Friedman, S. L., Neuschwander-Tetri, B. A., Rinella, M., & Sanyal, A. J. (2018). Mechanisms of NAFLD development and therapeutic strategies. Nature Medicine, 24(7), 908–922. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-018-0104-9

5. Machado, M. V. (2014). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: What the clinician needs to know. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 20(36), 12956. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v20.i36.12956

6. Petta, S., Gastaldelli, A., Rebelos, E., Bugianesi, E., Messa, P., Miele, L., Svegliati-Baroni, G., Valenti, L., & Bonino, F. (2016). Pathophysiology of non alcoholic fatty liver disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 17(12), 2082. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17122082

7. Musso, G., Cassader, M., Paschetta, E., & Gambino, R. (2018). Bioactive lipid species and metabolic pathways in progression and resolution of nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Gastroenterology, 155(2), 282-302.e8. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2018.06.031

8. Zhang QQ, Lu LG: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Dyslipidemia, risk for cardiovascular complications, and treatment strategy. J Clin Transl Hepatol. 2015, 3:78–84. https://doi.org/10.14218/jcth.2014.00037

9. Samala, N., Tersey, S. A., Chalasani, N., Anderson, R. M., & Mirmira, R. G. (2017). Molecular mechanisms of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Potential role for 12-lipoxygenase. Journal of Diabetes and its Complications, 31(11), 1630-1637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2017.07.014

10. Sookoian, S., Pirola, C. J., Valenti, L., & Davidson, N. O. (2020). Genetic pathways in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Insights from systems biology. Hepatology, 72(1), 330-346. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.31229

11. Castera, L., Vilgrain, V., & Angulo, P. (2013). Noninvasive evaluation of NAFLD. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 10(11), 666-675. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2013.175

12. Dasarathy, S., Dasarathy, J., Khiyami, A., Joseph, R., Lopez, R., & McCullough, A. J. (2009). Validity of real time ultrasound in the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis: A prospective study. Journal of Hepatology, 51(6), 1061-1067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2009.09.001

13. Ullah, M. I., Lala, G., Karim, R., Zaman, N., Jan, I., & Shahzadi, A. (2023). Frequency of Dyslipidemia in patients presenting with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Pakistan Journal of Medical and Health Sciences, 17(1), 544-547. https://doi.org/10.53350/pjmhs2023171544

14. Risal, P., Pandey, M., Shrestha, S. M., Adhikari, A., Manandhar, S., Karki, S., & Bhatt, R. D. (2020). Correlative Analysis of Atherogenic Dyslipidemia among the Patients with Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Visiting Tertiary Care Center. Birat Journal of Health Sciences, 5(3), 1132–1136. https://doi.org/10.3126/bjhs.v5i3.33681

15. Agarwal, A. K., Jain, V., Singla, S., Baruah, B. P., Arya, V., Yadav, R., & Singh, V. P. (2011). Prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its correlation with coronary risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, 59, 351-354. https://europepmc.org/article/med/21751587

16. Shaikh, K. U., Kareem, S., Sarfaraz, A., Anwar, M. W., Batool, N., & Bakar, S. A. (2025). Patterns of Dyslipidemia among patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Pakistan Journal of Health Sciences, 154-160. https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v6i4.2530

17. Gaggini, M., Morelli, M., Buzzigoli, E., DeFronzo, R., Bugianesi, E., & Gastaldelli, A. (2013). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its connection with insulin resistance, Dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Nutrients, 5(5), 1544-1560. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5051544

18. Machida, T., Obara, T., Miyazaki, M., Inoue, J., & Mano, N. (2022). Trends in drug prescriptions for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia among adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Annals of Hepatology, 27(4), 100699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aohep.2022.100699

19. Patel, H., & Verma, Y. N. (2018). Prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 6(4), 1322. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20181290

20. Ali, A., Amin, M. J., Ahmed, M. U., Taj, A., Aasim, M., & Tabrez, E. (2021). Frequency of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its associated risk factors among type-2 diabetics. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 38(1). https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.1.4968

21. En Li Cho, E., Ang, C. Z., Quek, J., Fu, C. E., Lim, L. K. E., Heng, Z. E. Q., Tan, D. J. H., Lim, W. H., Yong, J. N., Zeng, R., Chee, D., Nah, B., Lesmana, C. R. A., Bwa, A. H., Win, K. M., Faulkner, C., Aboona, M. B., Lim, M. C., Syn, N., & Kulkarni, A. V. (2023). Global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Gut, 72(11), 2138–2148. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2023-330110

22. Albeshry, A. M., Abdulrahman Alasmari, M., Alshahrani, J. A., Alshahrani, A. M., Saad Almusma, A., Alfaya, M. A., Alfaifi, A. J., Alshahrani, M. A., Alharbi, H. K. D., Ali Etwdi, A. S., Aldawsari, E., Zakir Hiyat Moazam, S. M., Alshaiban, M., & Al-Harthi, S. N. (2023). Prevalence of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Among Diabetic Mellitus Patients in Saudi Arabia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus, 15(12), e51092. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.51092

23. Bellentani, S., Scaglioni, F., Marino, M., & Bedogni, G. (2010). Epidemiology of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Digestive Diseases, 28(1), 155–161. https://doi.org/10.1159/000282080

24. Amjad, M. Z., Hassan, M. U., Rehman, M., Shamim, A., Zeeshan, H. M., Iftikhar, Z., Ahmed, A., & Jamil, M. I. (2024). Impact of Silymarin Supplementation on Liver Function and Enzyme Profiles in Diverse Chronic Liver Disease Etiologies. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.76313

25. Asif, M., Sohaib, M., Anwaar, W., Ahmed, A., Khalid, N. T., Tariq, H., & Jamil, M. I. (2024). Correlation Between Transient Elastography and Non-invasive Biomarker Scores for the Detection of Liver Fibrosis. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.72892