Risk factors associated with hepatic steatosis: a study in patients in the Northeast Brazil Factores asociados a la esteatosis hepática: un estudio en pacientes del nordeste brasileño

Introduction: Although there are several studies in the international literature regarding hepatic steatosis, few large-scale studies of risk factors are available. Objective: To verify potential risk factors associated with hepatic steatosis, such as: alcohol consumption, overweight, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This is a case series study including a control group (without hepatic steatosis), carried out at the gastroenterology outpatient clinic in Northeast Brazil. The sample was composed of 219 patients with hepatic steatosis and 82 without the disease. Results: There was an association between hepatic steatosis and socioeconomic status. Prevalence Ratio (PR) for family income < 2 minimum wage was (PR = 1.35 CI 95%, 1.18-1.54) and education level < primary education (PR = 1.44, CI 95%,1.27-1.64). Regarding anthropometric and clinical characteristics and lipid profile, there was an association with overweight (PR = 1.59, CI 95%, 1.38-1.83), abdominal circumference in the range of very high risk (PR = 2.28, IC 95%,1.68-3.09), hypertension (PR = 1.30, CI 95%, 1.15-1.48) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (PR = 1.23, CI 95%, 1.07-1.64), low HDL-choles-terol (PR = 1,96, CI 95%, 1.55-2.48), hypertriglyceridemia (PR = 2.10, CI 95%, 1.64-2.68). In the regression model three variables remained independently associated to hepatic steatosis, abdominal circumference in the range of very high risk (PRadjusted = 1.74), low HDL-cholesterol (PRadjusted = 1.39) and overweight (PRadjusted = 1.28). Conclusion: The results showed an association of hepatic steatosis with some risk factors, being abdominal circumference (very high risk) the most strongly associated, followed by low HDL-cholesterol and overweight.Introducción: Aunque hay varios estudios en la literatura internacional sobre la esteatosis hepática, pocos estudios a gran escala de factores de riesgo están disponibles. Objetivo: Verificar potenciales factores de riesgo asociados a la esteatosis hepática como: consumo de alcohol, exceso de peso, dislipidemia, hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Método: Estudio del tipo serie de casos, incluyendo un grupo control (sin esteatosis hepática), realizado en el ambulatorio de gastroenterología de un hospital universitario en el nordeste brasileño, compuesto por 219 pacientes con esteatosis hepática y 82 sin la enfermedad. Resultados: Hubo asociación entre la esteatosis hepática y condiciones socioeconómicas, el renta familia