SONOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATION OF FATTY LIVER GRADING WITH SERUM LIPID PROFILE AND BODY MASS INDEX

Abstract

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major metabolic disorder characterized by hepatic fat accumulation in the absence of significant alcohol consumption. It is closely associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. If left undiagnosed, NAFLD can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Early detection using non-invasive modalities such as ultrasonography is essential to prevent long-term complications and improve patient outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the association of ultrasonographically graded fatty liver with serum lipid profile and body mass index (BMI).

Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at Ibraheem Health Care Center, Nowshera, over nine months. A total of 124 participants diagnosed with NAFLD via ultrasonography were included using non-probability consecutive sampling. Data on gender, age, height, weight, BMI, diabetes, hypertension, serum lipid profile, and fatty liver grades were collected. Fatty liver was categorized into Grade 0, I, II, and III based on sonographic findings. Serum lipid profiles, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, with significance set at p<0.05.

Results: The mean age of participants was 48.5 ± 12.55 years, with 52.5% males and 47.5% females. Grade-wise fatty liver distribution included Grade 0 (8.1%), Grade I (37.1%), Grade II (44.4%), and Grade III (10.4%). BMI analysis showed that 54.8% were overweight and 40.4% were obese. Serum TC was abnormal in 33.2% of cases, TG in 35.5%, LDL in 6.4%, and low HDL in 5.6%. A statistically significant correlation was observed between increasing fatty liver grades and worsening lipid profile (p=0.05).

Conclusion: Ultrasonography proved to be a valuable non-invasive diagnostic tool for NAFLD detection and grading. Higher fatty liver grades were significantly associated with dyslipidemia and increased BMI, reinforcing the need for early metabolic screening and lifestyle interventions to prevent disease progression.