Open AccessAssociation of worsening of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with cardiometabolic function and intestinal bacterial overgrowth: A cross-sectional study
Author(s) -
Marília Marques Pereira Lira,
José Eymard Moraes de Medeiros Filho,
Vinícius Gomes Martins,
Gitana da Silva,
Francisco Antônio de Oliveira,
Éder Jackson Bezerra de Almeida Filho,
Alexandre Silva,
João Henrique CostaSilva,
José Luiz de Brito Alves
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0237360
Subject(s) - medicine , gastroenterology , nonalcoholic fatty liver disease , fatty liver , body mass index , liver function , hepatic fibrosis , metabolic syndrome , fibrosis , obesity , disease
Background & aims Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and cardiometabolic dysfunction. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the cardio-metabolic parameters and SIBO in patients with different degrees of hepatic fibrosis estimated by NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS). Methods Subjects (n = 78) were allocated to three groups: Healthy control (n = 30), NAFLD with low risk of advanced fibrosis (NAFLD-LRAF, n = 17) and NAFLD with a high risk of advanced fibrosis (NAFLD-HRAF, n = 31). Anthropometrics, blood pressure, electrocardiogram and heart rate variability (HRV) were evaluated. Only the NAFLD-LRAF and NAFLD-HRAF groups were submitted to blood biochemical analysis and glucose hydrogen breath tests. Results The NAFLD-HRAF group had higher age and body mass index when compared to the control and NAFLD-LRAF groups. The prevalence of SIBO in the NAFLD group was 8.33%. The low frequency/high-frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio) was augmented in NAFLD-LRAF ( p < 0.05) when compared with control group. NAFLD-HRAF group had a wide QRS complex ( p < 0.05) and reduced LF/HF ratio ( p < 0.05) compared to the control and NAFLD-LRAF groups. Serum levels of albumin and platelets were more reduced in the NAFLD-HRAF subjects ( p < 0.05) than in the NAFLD-LRAF. Conclusions NAFLD impairs cardiac autonomic function. Greater impairment was found in subjects with a worse degree of hepatic fibrosis estimated by NFS. Hypoalbuminemia and thrombocytopenia were higher in subjects with a worse degree of hepatic fibrosis, whereas prevalence of SIBO positive was similar between the groups.