Prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease at Moscow multi-speciality hospitals from 2022 to 2024

Introduction. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, which affects approximately a quarter of the world's population and has become a global health problem.

Aim. To determine the prevalence of NAFLD among patients of Moscow multi-speciality hospitals.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted by random screening of patients. In addition to steatosis, the presence of at least two cardiometabolic risks was a necessary criterion for diagnosing NAFLD. All patients underwent abdominal ultrasound imaging and transient elastography (TE) with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). Hand grip strength (HGS) was measured using a handgrip test. Male patients’ erectile dysfunction (ED) was assessed using the IIEF-5 (International Index of Erectile Function) criteria.

Results. A total of 449 patients were examined. Of these, 213 (47.4%) were diagnosed with NAFLD. Among the NAFLD patients, 143 were men and 70 were women. The mean age of the examined patients was 49,3 ± 11,6 years. According to TE findings, mean fibrosis score was 8.9 kPa and mean steatosis score was 294.2 dB/m. Distribution of patients by stages of fibrosis: F0–1 – 75 patients (35.2%), F2 – 69 patients (32.4%), F3 – 47 patients (22.1%), F4 – 22 patients (10.3%). Distribution of patients by stages of liver steatosis: S1 – 70 (32,9%), S2 – 81 (38%), S3 – 62 (29,1%). The mean hand grip strength (HGS) was 33.9 kg, sarcopenia was diagnosed in 30 patients (14.1%). ED was diagnosed in 33 (23.1%) male patients. Distribution of patients by comorbid conditions: impaired glucose tolerance – 74 people (34.7%), type 2 diabetes mellitus – 9 (27.7%), dyslipidemia – 128 (60.1%), high blood pressure – 80 (37.6%), coronary artery disease – 29 (13.6%), gastroesophageal reflux disease – 57 (26.7%), gallbladder disease (cholelithiasis, biliary sludge) – 58 (27.2%), gout – 26 (12.2%), ED (based on IIEF-5 questionnaire scores) – 56 (39.2%).

Conclusion. The study has shown that NAFLD is an extremely common disease in multi-speciality hospital settings.

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