Atherogenic index of plasma is a novel predictor of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese participants: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The atherogenic index of plasma showed to be related with some chronic disease like cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis. Body mass index which was commonly used in clinical practice is not an accurate index to predict non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between atherogenic index of plasma and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese participants. METHODS: 538 obese subjects were included in this cross sectional study. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was diagnosed by B-ultrasonography after excluding participants with other liver diseases. The atherogenic index of plasma was classified into three groups: the low (< 0.11), the intermediate (0.11–0.21) and the high (> 0.21) risk. The participants were separated into groups according to their atherogenic index of plasma levels. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of the atherogenic index of plasma for predicting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was calculated. RESULTS: There were concordances between increased atherogenic index of plasma and significant increase in the value of body mass index, waist circumference, alanine aminotransferase, glutamyl transpeptidase and lipid profile. The atherogenic index of plasma is strongly associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Compared to the low risk group, the high risk group had a 5.37 folds risk after adjustment for covariates. Results of receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the area under the curve (95% confidence intervals) was 0.718 (0.670–0.766). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that atherogenic index of plasma might be a method which can be used in the auxiliary diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.