Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the metabolic disorders in patients of familial fatty liver disease and their first-degree relatives. METHODS: The probands with fatty liver disease and normal control probands were randomly selected from 2 000 persons who participated in the survey of"endocrine and metabolic diseases"conducted by Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University in Taian, Shandong Province, China, and their first-degree relatives were enrolled. A normal control group and a group of sporadic fatty liver disease were established in order to eliminate the influence of environment and diet. A total of 191 subjects were enrolled after being matched for sex and age, including 73 families, 73 probands, and 118 first-degree relatives. According to the presence or absence of fatty liver disease in probands and first-degree relatives, these subjects were divided into normal control group, familial fatty liver group, and sporadic fatty liver group. Clinical and laboratory markers were obtained from each group and statistical analyses were performed. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups or any two groups, the rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data. RESULTS: The probands in the familial fatty liver group and sporadic fatty liver group had significantly higher abdominal obesity indices (body mass index, waist circumference, and hip circumference) than those in the normal control group (all P < 0.05). The first-degree relatives in the familial fatty liver group had significantly higher abdominal obesity indices (body mass index, waist circumference, and hip circumference), serum uric acid, and fasting blood glucose than those in the normal control group and sporadic fatty liver group (all P < 0.05), while these parameters showed no significant differences between the normal control group and sporadic fatty liver group (P > 0.05). The first-degree relatives in the familial fatty liver group had significantly higher incidence rates of overweight and/or obesity and a significantly higher prevalence rate of hyperglycemia compared with the normal control group(overweight and/or obestity:χ (2)= 12.83, P < 0.01; hyperglycemia:χ (2)= 6.96, P < 0.01) and sporadic fatty liver group (overweight and/or obesity: χ (2)= 12.63, P < 0.01; hyperglycemia:χ (2)= 12.22, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Persons with a family history of fatty liver disease tend to develop metabolic disorders (obesity and abnormal blood glucose), and early intervention may prevent or delay the development of metabolic syndrome.