Impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease on the risk of sarcopenia: a nationwide multicenter prospective study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:

Despite the association between sarcopenia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), no study has evaluated the predictive role of NAFLD in sarcopenia. We investigated impact of NAFLD on the risk of low muscle mass (LMM) and low muscle strength (LMS) in a nationwide multicenter study.

METHODS:

A total of 1595 community-dwelling people aged 70-84 years were followed for 2 years in the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. Muscle mass was estimated by dividing appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) by body mass index (BMI). Muscle strength was measured as handgrip strength (HGS) divided by BMI. The sex-specific lowest quintiles of ASM/BMI and HGS/BMI of the study population were used as cutoffs for LMM and LMS, respectively. The risk of LMM and LMS were assessed according to hepatic steatosis index (HSI) and fatty liver index (FLI) quartiles.

RESULTS:

As HSI quartiles increased, the LMM risk increased gradually, after adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and several causative factors (insulin resistance, inflammation, and vitamin D) (Q4 vs. Q1 OR [95% CI] 3.46 [2.23-5.35]). The increased risk of LMS was even higher according to HSI quartiles (Q4 vs. Q1 5.81 [3.67-9.21]). Multivariate analyses based on FLI showed similar results. People with NAFLD (HSI > 36) were at higher risk of developing LMM and LMS compared to those without (1.65 [1.19-2.31] and 2.29 [1.61-3.26], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:

The presence of NAFLD may predict future risk of LMM and LMS, with greater impact on LMS than on LMM.

• Authors: Eun Roh, Soon Young Hwang, Hye Jin Yoo, Sei Hyun Baik, Jin-Hee Lee, Sang Joon Son, Hyeon Ju Kim, Yong Soon Park, Sam-Gyu Lee, Be Long Cho, Hak Chul Jang, Bong Jo Kim, Miji Kim, Chang Won Won, Kyung Mook Choi
• Journal: Hepatology international (Hepatol Int) Vol. 16 Issue 3 Pg. 545-554 (Jun 2022) ISSN: 1936-0541 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34780030 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study)
• Copyright: © 2021. Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver.

Topics

• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Hand Strength
• Humans
• Male
• Muscle, Skeletal (pathology)
• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (complications, epidemiology, pathology)
• Prospective Studies
• Sarcopenia (complications, epidemiology)