Investigation In Abnormal Metabolism Of The Patients Of Familial Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease And Their First-Degree Relatives

Background:Now, NAFLD is the most common cause of chronic liver disease that leading to abnormal liver function, with a prevalence of 20-30% in the general population of western countries. The prevalence of NAFLD is also increasing quickly in developing countries and NAFLD is becoming an important chronic liver disorder in Asia. The prevalence of NAFDL in China urban was nearly 23% in recent studies. NAFLD was always associated with obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension and other features of the metabolic syndrome (MS). NAFLD was once considered to be the liver component of metabolic syndrome. As the economic and living standard growth, the burden from infectious disease has diminished in China and other developing countries, but changes in lifestyle and diet have led to an increased burden of metabolic disease and vascular complications. Despite the increasing prevalence of NAFLD, its pathogenesis and clinical significance remain poorly defined. Individuals with MS-related conditions have a higher risk of developing NAFLD. The metabolic syndrome may precede or follow NAFLD. Compared with general population, in individuals with NAFLD, the future odds of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, obesity and hypertension was 4.6,3.3,3.4 and 2.9, respectively. Vice versa, fatty liver was regarded as an increased risk of developing MS-related disorders. More and more evidence suggested that NAFLD、type 2 diabetes and obesity exhibited familial aggregation in recent years. In study of fatty liver pedigrees, the first-degree relatives of NAFLD patients have higher prevalence of NAFLD than control normal group. Family history of NAFLD increase individuals the susceptibility to NAFLD. However, investigations in abnormal metabolism of the first-degree relatives of patients with familial nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in China were rarely seen. Therefore, we conducted this familial aggregation study to explore abnormal metabolism of the first-degree relatives of patients with familial NAFLD.Objective:To explore abnormal metabolism of of the patients of familial nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and their first-degree relatives.Methods:From October to December 2014, we randomly selected NAFLD probands and normal control and their first-degree relatives among two thousand participants in the survey of metabolic disease of our hospital, which was carried out in Ningyang County (Taian, Shandong Province). In order to eliminate the influence of environment and diet, we also collect sporadic cases of NAFLD. After matched for sex and age, we totally collected 191 family members, including 73 families,73 probands,118 first-degree relatives, which was classified into three groups-normal control group, familial NAFLD group and sporadic NAFLD group according to the probands and their respective first-degree relatives with NAFLD or not. We made comparisons among the three groups of the probands and first-degree relatives in clinical and laboratory characteristics.Results:In the probands, compared with normal control group, familial NAFLD group and sporadic NAFLD group had higher levels of obesity indexes (BMI, WC and HC) and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In the first-degree relatives, the levels of obesity indexes (BMI, WC and HC), UA and FPG in the familial NAFLD group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group and sporadic NAFLD group and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The clinical and laboratory characteristics did not differ significantly in the first-degree relatives between normal control group and sporadic NAFLD group. Furthermore, familial NAFLD group had higher prevalence of obesity and hyperglycemia than those in the normal control group and sporadic NAFLD group and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion:Our study suggested that family history of NAFLD increase individual the susceptibility to metabolic disorder. Early scientific lifestyle intervention are vital for preventing or delaying the occurring of metabolic disease.