Correspondence to: Mojtaba Mahmoodi, Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Zand Blvd., Shiraz, ...
Korean J Gastroenterol Vol. 62 No. 6, 344-351 http://dx.doi.org/10.4166/kjg.2013.62.6.344 pISSN 1598-9992 eISSN 2233-6869
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Common Carotid Intima-media Thickness in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Population-based Case-control Study 1
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Kamran B. Lankarani , Mojtaba Mahmoodi , Mehrzad Lotfi , Nima Zamiri , Sayed Taghi Heydari , Fariborz 5 1 2,3 1 Ghaffarpasand , Mohammad Kazem Fallahzadeh , Meisam Babaeinejad , Najmeh Maharlouei , Omid 1,6 7,8 1 Mirzaee , Bita Geramizadeh and Payam Peymani Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz1, Department of Radiology, Namazi Hospital, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz2, Medical Imaging Research Center, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical 3 4 Sciences, Shiraz , Department of Biostatistics, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom , Trauma Research Center, Shiraz University 5 6 of Medical Sciences, Shiraz , Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz , Department of Pathology, 7 School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz , Transplant Research Center, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University 8 of Medical Sciences, Shiraz , Iran
Background/Aims: Metabolic syndrome is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerosis. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has features of metabolic syndromes. This study aimed to investigate the association between NAFLD and atherosclerosis. Methods: In a population-based study in southern Iran, asymptomatic adult inhabitants aged more than 20 years were selected through cluster random sampling, and were screened for the presence of fatty liver and common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), with abdominal and cervical ultrasonography, respectively. Those with fatty liver were compared to the same number of individuals without fatty liver. Results: Two hundred and ninety individuals were found to have fatty change on abdominal ultrasonography, and were labeled NAFLD. Compared to normal individuals, NAFLD patients had significantly higher prevalence of increased CIMT (OR, 1.66; p
