Comparison of size of the liver between patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and healthy controls

Maryam Dorostghol; Mohammad M Gharibvand; Mohammad G Hanafi; Azim Motamedfar

doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_94_23

Comparison of size of the liver between patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and healthy controls

J Family Med Prim Care. 2024 Feb;13(2):425-430. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_94_23. Epub 2024 Mar 6.

Authors

Maryam Dorostghol¹, Mohammad M Gharibvand¹, Mohammad G Hanafi¹, Azim Motamedfar¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Radiology, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease across all age groups. Limited studies have been conducted to consider the relationship between NAFLD and liver size. This study aimed to compare the size of the liver between NAFLD patients and healthy controls.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted on NAFLD patients (n = 300), and healthy subjects (n = 300) referred to the Golestan Hospital of Ahvaz from April to August 2021. All individuals underwent ultrasonography examination, and liver size was measured in the midclavicular line. Fatty liver was divided into three grades, I (mild), II (moderate), and III (severe), according to the disease severity. Anthropometric parameters, including age, sex, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI), were recorded. Finally, the size of the liver and its relationship with NAFLD and anthropometric parameters was evaluated.

Results: Patients had significantly higher weight, and BMI mean values than controls (P < 0.001). In comparison to controls, NAFLD patients had considerably larger livers on average. (149.05 ± 12.60 mm vs. 134.51 ± 12.09; P < 0.001). There was a significant tendency for larger liver size in normal to severe fatty liver patients (P < 0.001). In patients with mild, moderate, and severe NAFLD, the mean liver size was 144.34 ± 11.35, 154.21 ± 10.84, and 158.63 ± 13.45 mm, respectively. The mean liver size in both groups was significantly higher in males than females (P < 0.05). Age (P = 0.037), sex (P < 0.001), height (P < 0.001), BMI (P = 0.008), and steatosis (P < 0.001) were independent variables for predicting the liver size.

Conclusion: The liver size of persons with fatty liver was substantially more considerable than healthy people. The size of the liver was substantially linked with sex, age, BMI, fatty liver, and hepatic steatosis grade. A straightforward way to predict fatty liver is to use ultrasonography to determine the size of the liver.

Keywords: Body mass index; metabolic disorders; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; ultrasonography.