Relationship of body iron stores with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Hwang, Sang Jun; Cho, Yong Kyun; Oh, Se Yong; Choi, Hyo Sun; Park, Jeong Sik; Kim, Shin Yun; Park, Jung Ho; Kim, Hong Joo; Park, Dong Il; Sohn, Chong Il; Jeon, Woo Kyu; Kim, Byung Ik

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although numerous reports have shown the influence of the iron overload state on the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), there have been few reports on the prevalence of NAFLD according to the body iron stores. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship of body iron stores with the development of NAFLD in apparently healthy women.
METHODS
The present cross-sectional study was performed with data obtained from 5,249 women (mean age: 40.6+/-8.9 years), that received an annual health check-up. All components of metabolic syndrome criteria, anthropometric parameters, fasting insulin levels, level of C-reactive protein and serum iron tests were measured in each subject.
RESULTS
The prevalence of NAFLD was significantly different according to body iron status (normal iron store/iron store depletion/iron deficient erythropoiesis/iron deficiency anemia: 10.6%/4.1%/6.5%/11.2%, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that age (odds ratio [OR]=1.284; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1161.507) per 10 years), being overweight (OR=1.952; 95% CI: 1.3952.732), diabetes mellitus (OR=1.694; 95% CI: 1.198-2.397), hypertriglyceridemia (OR=2.434; 95% CI: 1.737-3.409), abdominal obesity (OR=3.559; 95% CI: 2.538-4.992), insulin resistance (OR=2.665; 95% CI: 1.979-3.587), anemia (OR=2.015; 95% CI: 1.150-3.532) and stored iron depletion (OR=0.580; 95% CI: 0.405-0.830) were profoundly associated with the development of NAFLD.
CONCLUSION
The present study reveals a possible correlation between the development of NAFLD and body iron stores, and stored iron depletion and anemia seem to be key factors for this correlation.