Assessment of Non-Alcoholic Hepatic Steatosis Disease and its Association with Hepatomegaly by Using Ultrasound
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis disease (NAHSD) is increasingly recognized as a major global health concern, particularly due to its silent progression and significant impact on quality of life. The prevalence of NAHSD is particularly high in regions with widespread obesity and diabetes, conditions that are escalating in global incidence.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and severity of NAHSD and its association with hepatomegaly using ultrasonography in a Pakistani adult population.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2023 to March 2024 at the Department of Radiology, District Head Quarter’s Hospital, Swabi, Pakistan. A total of 70 adults presenting with clinical manifestations of hepatomegaly were enrolled. Ultrasonography was performed using a Toshiba Doppler machine equipped with a convex transducer (2.5—5.0 MH frequency). Liver size, shape, and echogenicity were assessed, and hepatic parenchyma was graded into three categories based on echogenicity. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, focusing on descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: The study comprised 41 females (58.6%) and 29 males (41.4%), with an age range from 19 to 69 years (mean age 43.79 ± 11.583 years). Hepatic steatosis was graded as mild in 20% (14), moderate in 5.7% (4), and severe in 1.4% (1) of patients with hepatomegaly. The majority, 72.9% (51), showed no signs of hepatic steatosis. Hepatomegaly was noted in 27% of patients (19).
Conclusion: Ultrasonography is an effective diagnostic tool for assessing NAHSD and hepatomegaly, revealing a significant prevalence of these conditions among the studied population. Early screening and intervention are critical to managing and reducing the healthcare burden associated with NAHSD.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Schwimmer JB. Definitive diagnosis and assessment of risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children and adolescents. In: Seminars in liver disease: Copyright© 2007 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New …; 2007. p. 312-8.
LaBrecque DR, Abbas Z, Anania F, Ferenci P, Khan AG, Goh K-L, et al. World Gastroenterology Organisation global guidelines: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. 2014;48(6):467-73.
Sharma S, Bhattarai S. A Cross Sectional Study of Lipid Profile in Ultrasonography-Diagnosed Fatty Liver. Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia. 2023 Jun 30;20(2):667-71.
Amarapurkar DN, Hashimoto E, Lesmana LA, Sollano JD, Chen PJ, Goh KL, et al. How common is non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease in the Asia–Pacific region and are there local differences? 2007;22(6):788-93.
Ansari AM, Gul N, Bhatti MM, Meraj L, Khan Z, Munir MWJK. Risk Factors For Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study In Pakistani Population. 2020;13(2):287.
Ravipati C, Murthy SK, Yuvaraj Muralidharan K, Ramakrishnan K, Ramaswamy S, Natarajan P. A Comparative Study on Role of MR Chemical Shift Imaging (mDIXON) and Ultrasound Elastography with CT Hounsfield Unit in Assessment of Early Stages of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver.
Imanzadeh F, Olang B, Sayyari AA, Dara N, Khatami K, Hosseini A, Aghdam MK, Khalili M, Hajipour M, Farsan ZF, Imanzadeh N. Prevalence and Related Factors for Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Students. Journal of Comprehensive Pediatrics. 2023 Dec 31(In Press).
Dorostghol M, Gharibvand MM, Hanafi MG, Motamedfar A. Comparison of size of the liver between patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and healthy controls. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 2024 Feb 1;13(2):425-30.
Clark JM, Brancati FL, Diehl AMJOjotACoG, ACG. The prevalence and etiology of elevated aminotransferase levels in the United States. 2003;98(5):960-7.
Axford J, O'Callaghan C. Medicine for Finals and Beyond. CRC Press; 2022.
Joshi R, Singh A, Jajoo N, Pai M, Kalantri SJIJoG. Accuracy and reliability of palpation and percussion for detecting hepatomegaly: a rural hospital-based study. 2004;23:171-4.
Childs JT, Esterman AJ, Thoirs KA, Turner RCJS. Ultrasound in the assessment of hepatomegaly: a simple technique to determine an enlarged liver using reliable and valid measurements. 2016;3(2):47-52.
Osaka M, Kishino T, Urata T, Ida Y, Mori H, Kawamura N, Tanaka T, Shibasaki S, Yotsukura M, Watanabe T, Ohnishi H. Findings on conventional sonography to predict the presence of liver injury in elderly women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Laboratory Medicine International. 2023;2(2):30-8.
Dietrich CF, Dietrich CF. EFSUMB European Course Book. European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB); 2010.
Sakban GH, Mohammed S, Al-Auqbi TF. Early detection of Non-alcoholic Liver Disease in type 2 Diabetes mellitusIraqi patients by assessment of Transthyretin, clusterin, and retinol binding protein4 with liver of enzymes by Ultrasound imaging. History of Medicine. 2023 Sep 25;9(1):1998-2003.
Waseem M, Saeed F, Khan RJAiLS. Ultrasound Detected Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Prevalence and its Risk Factors in Pakistani Population. 2023;9(4):607-11.
Ullah R, Zaman A, Khan A, Khan MI, Rakha ZA, Mehmood SAJPJoM, et al. Early Detection of Nonalcholic Fatty Liver (NAFLD) on Ultrasound. 2022;16(08):966-.
Gbande P, Tchaou M, Djoko Makamto HD, Dagbe M, Sonhaye L, Agoda-Koussema LK, Adjenou K. Correlation between qualitative and semi-quantitative ultrasound assessment of diffuse fatty liver disease: A case-control study. Ultrasound. 2024 Apr 11:1742271X241241779.
Abdallah HR, Youness ER, Bedeir MM, Abouelnaga MW, Ezzat WM, Elhosary Y, El-Hariri HM, Hussein MA, Ahmed HR, Eladawy R. Clinical and diagnostic characteristics of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among Egyptian children and adolescents with type1 diabetes. Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome. 2023 Mar 21;15(1):52.
Bano U, Gondal M, Moin SJJoPMI. Evaluation of risk factors of non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a tertiary care hospital at Rawalpindi, Pakistan: a local experience. 2008;22(3).