Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 28, 2010; 16(48): 6119-6122
Published online Dec 28, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i48.6119
High prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver in patients with idiopathic venous thromboembolism
Matteo Nicola Dario Di Minno, Antonella Tufano, Anna Russolillo, Giovanni Di Minno, Giovanni Tarantino
Matteo Nicola Dario Di Minno, Antonella Tufano, Anna Russolillo, Giovanni Di Minno, Giovanni Tarantino, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
Author contributions: Tarantino G and Di Minno MND conceived the study and wrote the manuscript; Tarantino G performed the statistical analysis; Di Minno G critically revised the paper; Tufano A and Russolillo A performed the clinical investigation.
Supported by An Institutional Grant of the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
Correspondence to: Giovanni Tarantino, MD, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. tarantin@unina.it
Telephone: +39-81-7462024 Fax: +39-81-5466152
Received: April 1, 2010
Revised: May 25, 2010
Accepted: June 1, 2010
Published online: December 28, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To assess the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with idiopathic venous thromboembolism (VTE).

METHODS: In a case-control study, after excluding subjects with well-consolidated risk factors for VTE, idiopathic VTE was documented in 138 consecutive patients who were referred to our department. Two hundred and seventy-six healthy sex/age/body-mass-index-matched subjects, without any clinical/instrumental evidence of VTE, served as controls. All underwent a clinical/laboratory/ultrasound assessment for the presence of metabolic syndrome and NAFLD.

RESULTS: NAFLD was detected in 112/138 cases (81%) and in 84/276 controls (30%) [risk ratio: 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.2-3.2, P < 0.0001]. Metabolic syndrome and smoking habit were more prevalent in patients with idiopathic VTE. The high prevalence of NAFLD in VTE was also confirmed after adjustment for inherited thrombophilia. NAFLD was clearly predicted by VTE (odds ratio: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2-2.7, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: NAFLD was independently associated with idiopathic VTE.

Keywords: Thromboembolism; Metabolic syndrome; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease