Evaluation of the Correlation between Coronary Artery Disease and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Is There Any Correlation?

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are 2 common diseases around the globe. This investigation aimed to evaluate NAFLD prevalence in patients with CAD and the potential association between NAFLD and CAD. METHODS: This case-control study was performed between January 2017 and January 2018 at Ziaeian Hospital, Tehran, Iran. All patients aged between 35 and 5 years and referred for myocardial perfusion imaging were selected for the study. Totally, 180 participants were divided into CAD(+) and CAD(−) groups. CAD was defined as stenosis of greater than 50.0% in at least 1 coronary artery. Afterward, all the patients underwent abdominal sonography and laboratory tests for NAFLD evaluation. Patients with a history of liver diseases, alcohol consumption, and drug-induced steatosis were excluded. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 122 women (67.8%) and 58 men (32.2%) at a mean age of 49.31±5.42 years. NAFLD was detected in 115 patients. NAFLD prevalence in the CAD(+) group was 78.9%. NAFLD was determined as an independent risk factor for CAD (OR, 3.9). CONCLUSION: NAFLD prevalence was high in the CAD(+) group. The incidence of steatosis is on the rise in the general population. Hence, considering the high prevalence of abdominal obesity, all patients with NAFLD should be evaluated for CAD.