Key result
A 1-SD increase in mean liver attenuation (less liver fat) was associated with smaller volumes of epicardial fat (beta -0.05; 95% CI -0.08 to -0.02) and coronary artery calcification.
Why the study?
Does liver fat correlate with cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical vascular disease in the general population?
Cross-Sectional (n=2,351)
Does liver fat correlate with cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical vascular disease in the general population?
Larger amounts of liver fat are independently associated with larger volumes of epicardial fat and coronary artery calcification, highlighting its role as a marker of subclinical vascular disease.
Liver fat on CT may identify higher CV risk; hypothesis-generating for its independent prognostic role in general populations.
AIMS: Increasing evidence suggests involvement of the amount of liver fat in the development of cardiovascular disease. We investigated the relation of liver fat with cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical vascular disease in the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 2003 and 2006, 2351 persons from the population-based Rotterdam Study (mean age 69.6 ± 6.7 years, 47.2% males) underwent non-enhanced computed tomography. We measured the mean liver attenuation value in Hounsfield units and quantified the following markers of subclinical vascular disease: epicardial fat volume and volumes of coronary (CAC), aortic (AAC), extracranial (ECAC), and intracranial carotid calcification (ICAC). Using linear regression, we investigated associations between traditional cardiovascular risk factors and mean liver attenuation. We also investigated relations of mean liver attenuation with markers of subclinical vascular disease, adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors. We found strong associations of waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, and diabetes with lower mean liver attenuation [multivariable-adjusted beta per unit increase in waist circumference: -2.54 (95% CI: -3.10; -1.99); diastolic blood pressure: -0.52 (95% CI: -0.88; -0.17); and the presence of diabetes: -21.91 (95% CI: -31.76; -12.06)]. Moreover, we found that larger mean liver attenuation values were associated with smaller volumes of epicardial fat and CAC, independent of cardiovascular risk factors [beta per 1-SD increase in mean liver attenuation value: -0.05 (95% CI: -0.08; -0.02) and -0.05 (95% CI: -0.10; -0.01), respectively]. CONCLUSION: Larger amounts of liver fat are related to larger volumes of epicardial fat and CAC, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, providing important novel insights into the role of liver fat as a marker of vascular disease.
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Wolff et al. (2016) conducted a cross-sectional in General population (n=2,351). Liver fat (mean liver attenuation) was evaluated on Volumes of epicardial fat and coronary artery calcification (CAC) (beta -0.05, 95% CI -0.08 to -0.02). A 1-SD increase in mean liver attenuation (less liver fat) was associated with smaller volumes of epicardial fat (beta -0.05; 95% CI -0.08 to -0.02) and coronary artery calcification.
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