Can Cardiovascular Risk Be Simply Estimated in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients?

Backgrounds and Aims: In the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), inflammation plays a pivotal role. The presence of inflammatory cells is closely linked with epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). A recently identified prognostic indicator for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the ratio of monocyte count to HDL-cholesterol (MHR). Our primary aim was to investigate the relationship between EAT and markers of inflammation in individuals with NAFLD, and to evaluate its predictability using straightforward diagnostic measures. Material-Method: This retrospective study included two hundred eighteen patients who underwent thoracic computed tomography angiography between 2014 and 2021. The patients were divided into the NAFLD group (HU48 IU) according to the liver attenuation ratio. 136 patients in the NAFLD group and 82 in the non-NAFLD group. Results: The body mass index (BMI), triglyceride levels, notably the EAT volume and MHR in the NAFLD group, exhibited higher values than non-NAFLD group. Among participants in the NAFLD group, a positive correlation was observed between EAT volume and factors such as age, MHR, c-reactive protein, BMI, urea, glucose, and alanine aminotransferase. Through linear regression analysis, it was determined that MHR stood as the sole independent predictor of EAT volume in patients with NAFLD. Conclusion: EAT volume, a risk marker for CVD, can be predicted in NAFLD patients by MHR without radiological methods. Thus, easier and earlier detection of NAFLD patients in the high-risk group for CVD will be possible.