Increased risk for development of coronary artery calcification in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and systemic inflammation

<div><p>Background</p><p>Recent studies have suggested the importance of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and systemic inflammation in the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to compare the risk for coronary artery calcification (CAC) development according to the status of NAFLD and inflammation over four years of follow-up in subjects without baseline CAC.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A total of 1,575 participants in a health screening program were divided into four groups according to baseline NAFLD state and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (median 0.06 mg/L) levels as follows: no NAFLD and hs-CRP <0.06 mg/L, no NAFLD and hs-CRP ≥0.06 mg/L, NAFLD and hs-CRP <0.06 mg/L, and NAFLD and hs-CRP ≥0.06 mg/L. Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) was repeatedly measured by multi-detector computed tomography at four-year intervals and CAC development during those intervals was monitored in subjects with baseline CACS = 0.</p><p>Results</p><p>Over four years, 148 subjects (9.4%) developed CAC. The proportion of subjects who developed CAC was significantly higher in subjects with NAFLD at baseline compared with those without NAFLD at baseline (6.8 vs. 12.4%, p<0.01), and it was also higher in subjects with hs-CRP ≥0.06 mg/L compared with those with hs-CRP <0.06 mg/L (7.2 vs. 11.5%, p<0.01). In addition, the proportion of subjects who developed CAC was highest in subjects with NAFLD and hs-CRP ≥0.06 mg/dL, followed by subjects with NAFLD, subjects without NAFLD and hs-CRP ≥0.06 mg/L, and subjects without NALFD and hs-CRP <0.05 mg/L at baseline, in that order (13.7, 10.0, 8.3, and 5.8%, respectively; p for trend<0.01). The odds ratio for CAC development was highest in subjects with NAFLD and hs-CRP ≥0.06 mg/L (1.67, 95% CI 1.01–2.77), though it was attenuated after adjustment for body mass index.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The concomitant presence of NAFLD and systemic inflammation as assessed by hs-CRP increases the risk of CAC development over four years.</p></div

Comparison of baseline characteristics according to baseline NAFLD status and hs-CRP levels.

<p>Comparison of baseline characteristics according to baseline NAFLD status and hs-CRP levels.</p

Comparison of baseline characteristics according to baseline NAFLD status and hs-CRP levels.

<p>Comparison of baseline characteristics according to baseline NAFLD status and hs-CRP levels.</p

Comparison of baseline characteristics according to CAC development over four years.

<p>Comparison of baseline characteristics according to CAC development over four years.</p

Increased risk for diabetes development in subjects with large variation in total cholesterol levels in 2,827,950 Koreans: A nationwide population-based study

<div><p>Background</p><p>Recent studies suggest a role for hyperlipidemia in the development of diabetes. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between variations of total cholesterol (TC) levels and the risk for type 2 diabetes development from a Korean nationwide population-based database.</p><p>Materials and methods</p><p>We examined the General Health Check-up sub-dataset of the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) of 2,827,950 participants who had at least three health check-ups between 2002 and 2007, and were not reported to have diabetes during that time. The variations of TC levels between the examinations were calculated as follows: . The examinees were divided into 10 groups according to TC variation, and the hazard ratio for diabetes development from 2007 to 2013, were analyzed.</p><p>Results</p><p>During the follow-up period, 3.4% of the participants had developed diabetes. The hazard ratio (HR) for diabetes development relative to the overall risk in the whole study population started to be higher than 1.0 from eighth decile of TC variation. The highest decile group showed an increased HR for diabetes development after adjustment for confounding variables (1.139; 95% confidence interval 1.116~1.163). These results were similar regardless of the use of anti-hyperlipidemic medication and baseline TC levels.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The participants with a large variation in TC levels showed an increased risk for diabetes development, independent of the use of anti-hyperlipidemic medications. These results suggest a relationship between fluctuations in lipid levels and the development of type 2 diabetes.</p></div

Proportion of subjects who developed CAC over four years according to baseline NAFLD status and hs-CRP levels.

<p>CAC, coronary artery calcification; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; hs-CRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.</p

Increased risk for development of coronary artery calcification in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and systemic inflammation - Fig 1

<p><b>Proportion of subjects who developed CAC over four years according to baseline NAFLD status (A) and hs-CRP levels (B).</b> CAC, coronary artery calcification; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; hs-CRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.</p

Predictive Value of Triglyceride Glucose Index for the Risk of Incident Diabetes: A 4-Year Retrospective Longitudinal Study

<div><p>The Triglyceride Glucose Index (TyG index) is considered a surrogate marker of insulin resistance. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the TyG index has a predictive role in identifying individuals with a high risk of incident diabetes and to compare it with other indicators of metabolic health. A total 2900 non-diabetic adults who attended five consecutive annual health check-ups at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital was divided into four subgroups using three methods: (1) baseline TyG index; (2) obesity status (body mass index ≥25 kg/m²) and cutoff value of TyG index; (3) obesity status and metabolic health, defined as having fewer than two of the five components of high blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and highest decile of homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance. The development of diabetes was assessed annually using self-questionnaire, fasting glucose, and glycated hemoglobin. We compared the risk of incident diabetes using multivariate Cox analysis. During 11623 person-years there were 101 case of incident diabetes. Subjects with high TyG index had a high risk of diabetes. For TyG index quartiles, hazard ratios (HRs) of quartiles 3 and 4 were 4.06 (<i>p</i> = 0.033) and 5.65 (<i>p</i> = 0.006) respectively. When the subjects were divided by obesity status and cutoff value of TyG index of 8.8, the subgroups with TyG index ≥ 8.8 regardless of obesity had a significantly high risk for diabetes (HR 2.40 [<i>p</i> = 0.024] and 2.25 [<i>p =</i> 0.048]). For obesity status and metabolic health, the two metabolically unhealthy subgroups regardless of obesity had a significantly high risk for diabetes (HRs 2.54 [<i>p</i> = 0.024] and 2.73 [<i>p</i> = 0.021]). In conclusion, the TyG index measured at a single time point may be an indicator of the risk for incident diabetes. The predictive value of the TyG index was comparable to that of metabolic health.</p></div

Hazard ratios of incident diabetes according to obesity status and TyG Index or metabolic health.

<p>Hazard ratios of incident diabetes according to obesity status and TyG Index or metabolic health.</p

General characteristics of the participants according to the development of diabetes in 2007.

<p>General characteristics of the participants according to the development of diabetes in 2007.</p