Association of Lipid Profile with Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Diagnosed on Ultrasound

Background: A global prevalence of 25.26% of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been reported and it constituted a wide spectrum of chronic hepatic disorders varying from simple steatosis to steato-hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis, without significant alcohol consumption. The diagnostic tests including MRI and liver biopsy are either costly or invasive as compared to ultrasonography for diagnosis and severity of NAFLD which is more convenient and non-invasive. Thus, the study investigates the association between lipid profiles and NAFLD severity diagnosed by ultrasonography. Methods: The study included 126 patients with NAFLD diagnosed on ultrasound, conducted between December 2022 and May 2024 at Government Multispecialty Hospital, Chandigarh. Data tools included socio demographic information, clinical profile, HbA1c levels, lipid profiles, liver function tests, and ultrasound findings. Statistical analyses, including Chi square, ANOVA, and multinomial logistic regression, were used to establish associations between variables. Results: More than half of the participants (55.6%) had grade I NAFLD, while 31.7% and 12.7% had grade II and III, respectively. Severity of NAFLD was significantly associated with increased levels of total cholesterol levels, TG, LDL, and reduced HDL. ALP and triglycerides were strong predictors of severity of NAFLD. Conclusion: The study found significant associations between lipid parameters and NAFLD severity, with ALP and triglycerides as key predictors. Factors like diabetes, gender, and BMI showed no significant correlations, suggesting a complex interplay of metabolic factors in NAFLD severity.