Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 7, 2013; 19(45): 8301-8311
Published online Dec 7, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i45.8301
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with benign gastrointestinal disorders
Srinevas K Reddy, Min Zhan, H Richard Alexander, Samer S El-Kamary
Srinevas K Reddy, H Richard Alexander, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
Min Zhan, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
Samer S El-Kamary, Departments of Pediatrics, Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
Author contributions: Reddy SK, Zhan M and EL-Kamary SS designed the project; Reddy SK extracted and analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript; Zhan M provided biostatistical expertise; Alexander HR critically revised the manuscript; El-Kamary SS analyzed the data, and critically revised the manuscript.
Supported by NIH 2K12HD043489-11
Correspondence to: Dr. Srinevas K Reddy, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 22 South Greene Street-Rm S4B18, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States. sreddy@smail.umaryland.edu
Telephone: +1-919- 4233291 Fax: +1-410-3285919
Received: May 22, 2013
Revised: July 11, 2013
Accepted: July 18, 2013
Published online: December 7, 2013
Processing time: 209 Days and 10.9 Hours
Abstract

AIM: To explore associations between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and benign gastrointestinal and pancreato-biliary disorders.

METHODS: Patient demographics, diagnoses, and hospital outcomes from the 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample were analyzed. Chronic liver diseases were identified using International Classification of Diseases, the 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Patients with NAFLD were compared to those with other chronic liver diseases for the endpoints of total hospital charges, disease severity, and hospital mortality. Multivariable stepwise logistic regression analyses to assess for the independent association of demographic, comorbidity, and diagnosis variables with the event of NAFLD (vs other chronic liver diseases) were also performed.

RESULTS: Of 7800441 discharge records, 32347 (0.4%) and 271049 (3.5%) included diagnoses of NAFLD and other chronic liver diseases, respectively. NAFLD patients were younger (average 52.3 years vs 55.3 years), more often female (58.8% vs 41.6%), less often black (9.6% vs 18.6%), and were from higher income areas (23.7% vs 17.7%) compared to counterparts with other chronic liver diseases (all P < 0.0001). Diabetes mellitus (43.4% vs 28.9%), hypertension (56.9% vs 47.6%), morbid obesity (36.9% vs 8.0%), dyslipidemia (37.9% vs 15.6%), and the metabolic syndrome (28.75% vs 8.8%) were all more common among NAFLD patients (all P < 0.0001). The average total hospital charge ($39607 vs $51665), disease severity scores, and intra-hospital mortality (0.9% vs 6.0%) were lower among NALFD patients compared to those with other chronic liver diseases (all P < 0.0001).Compared with other chronic liver diseases, NAFLD was significantly associated with diverticular disorders [OR = 4.26 (3.89-4.67)], inflammatory bowel diseases [OR = 3.64 (3.10-4.28)], gallstone related diseases [OR = 3.59 (3.40-3.79)], and benign pancreatitis [OR = 2.95 (2.79-3.12)] on multivariable logistic regression (all P < 0.0001) when the latter disorders were the principal diagnoses on hospital discharge. Similar relationships were observed when the latter disorders were associated diagnoses on hospital discharge.

CONCLUSION: NAFLD is associated with diverticular, inflammatory bowel, gallstone, and benign pancreatitis disorders. Compared with other liver diseases, patients with NAFLD have lower hospital charges and mortality.

Keywords: Nationwide inpatient sample; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Chronic liver disease; Diverticular disease; Pancreatitis; Gallstones; Inflammatory bowel disease

Core tip: This study analyzed the 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample to compare outcomes and associations between patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and other chronic liver diseases. Compared with other liver diseases, NAFLD is associated with diverticular, inflammatory bowel, gallstone, and benign pancreatitis disorders when these latter disorders are considered as either the principal or associated diagnoses on discharge. These associations suggest shared mechanisms of pathology between NAFLD and these benign gastrointestinal disorders. Furthermore, patients with NAFLD have lower hospital mortality and consume fewer healthcare resources compared to patients with other chronic liver diseases.