Association Between Platelet Count as a Noninvasive Marker and Ultrasonographic Grading in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has become a worldwide challenge. Liver biopsy remains the single most reliable approach to determine the severity of this disease. As patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease require close follow-up, performing this invasive method repeatedly seems impractical; therefore, designing a noninvasive system to follow up patients has become a common interest. OBJECTIVES: We intended to investigate the association between platelet counts of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and the severity of their disease based on serum levels of liver enzymes and grade of fatty liver on ultrasonography. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One thousand, three hundred and five patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease were included in this descriptive study. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and platelet counts of patients were measured. The grade of fatty liver was determined by abdominal ultrasonography. RESULTS: Of our study population, 54.3% (n = 708) were women. Patients with mild fatty liver on ultrasonography had lower platelet counts than those with moderate and severe fatty liver. However, no cutoff value of platelet count could reliably distinguish different grades of fatty liver. We found no significant association between platelet counts and serum levels of AST, ALT or ALP. However, we showed that male patients with abnormal levels of ALT had higher platelet counts. CONCLUSIONS: Platelet count in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can serve as a clue to the severity of disease, but it cannot be considered as a sole test to follow up patients.