Korean J Fam Pract.  2021 Oct;11(5):345-351. 10.21215/kjfp.2021.11.5.345.

Association between Muscle Mass Deficits and the Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Fibrosis Score in Adults without Central Obesity

• Shim YN
• Choi HJ
• Jung D
• Jo MS
• Oh HJ

• KMID: 2521438
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2021.11.5.345

Abstract

Background
The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS) is used to determine the direction of treatment by predicting the degree of liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Muscles are the main target organs for insulin, and sarcopenia is associated with the occurrence of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we investigated the association between muscle mass deficits (MMDs), estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and the NFS in adults without central obesity.
Methods
Data were collected from 3,704 adults who had visited health promotion centers. Partial correlation analysis was performed to identify the variables associated with the NFS. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify the determinants of the NFS. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds ratios for intermediate to high NFS (≥-1.5), according to the MMD groups. Univariate analysis of variance was used to estimate the corrected means of MMD, according to the NFS groups.
Results
NFS was positively correlated with MMD after adjusting for sex and waist circumference (r=0.033, P<0.05). MMD was positively associated with NFS after adjusting for sex, waist circumference, MMD and other variables in the regression model (R 2 =0.111). The odds ratios for intermediate to high NFS (≥-1.5) increased with the increasing MMD grade after adjusting for age, sex, waist circumference, lifestyle factors, and other variables.
Conclusion
BIA estimates of MMDs in adults without central obesity showed a positive correlation with the NFS. Hence, MMD was identified as a factor determining the NFS. This suggests that MMD is a predictor of the progression of fibrosis in patients with NAFLD but without central obesity.

Keyword

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Muscle; Sarcopenia; Central obesity