Liver Failure and Liver Disease

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Prevalence of hepatic steatosis in an urban population in the United States: Impact of ethnicity

  1. Jeffrey D. Browning1,
  2. Lidia S. Szczepaniak1,2,
  3. Robert Dobbins1,
  4. Pamela Nuremberg3,
  5. Jay D. Horton1,
  6. Jonathan C. Cohen1,
  7. Scott M. Grundy1,4,
  8. Helen H. Hobbs1,5,†,‡,*

Article first published online: 24 NOV 2004

DOI: 10.1002/hep.20466

Issue

Hepatology

Hepatology

Volume 40, Issue 6, pages 1387–1395, December 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Browning, J. D., Szczepaniak, L. S., Dobbins, R., Nuremberg, P., Horton, J. D., Cohen, J. C., Grundy, S. M. and Hobbs, H. H. (2004), Prevalence of hepatic steatosis in an urban population in the United States: Impact of ethnicity. Hepatology, 40: 1387–1395. doi: 10.1002/hep.20466

Author Information

  1. 1

    Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Dallas, TX

  2. 2

    Department of Radiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX

  3. 3

    Department of Radiology, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas, TX

  4. 4

    Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, TX

  5. 5

    Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD

  1. †

    H.H.H. is an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

  2. ‡

    fax: 214-648-7539

*Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9046

  1. †

    H.H.H. is an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

  2. ‡

    fax: 214-648-7539

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 24 NOV 2004
  2. Article first published online: 24 NOV 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 31 AUG 2004
  4. Manuscript Received: 29 JUN 2004

Funded by

  • Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center at Dallas
  • National Institutes of Health. Grant Number: HL-20948
  • postdoctoral fellowship award from the American Liver Foundation and the National Institutes of Health training grant. Grant Number: T32-DK-07745

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Abstract

Despite the increasing prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), its pathogenesis and clinical significance remain poorly defined. In this study, we examined and compared the distribution of hepatic triglyceride content (HTGC) in 2,287 subjects from a multiethnic, population-based sample (32.1% white, 48.3% black, and 17.5% Hispanic) using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. HTGC varied over a wide range (0.0%-41.7%; median, 3.6%) in the population. Almost one third of the population had hepatic steatosis, and most subjects with hepatic steatosis had normal levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (79%). The frequency of hepatic steatosis varied significantly with ethnicity (45% in Hispanics; 33% in whites; 24% in blacks) and sex (42% in white men; 24% in white women). The higher prevalence of hepatic steatosis in Hispanics was due to the higher prevalence of obesity and insulin resistance in this ethnic group. However, the lower frequency of hepatic steatosis in blacks was not explained by ethnic differences in body mass index, insulin resistance, ethanol ingestion, or medication use. The prevalence of hepatic steatosis was greater in men than women among whites, but not in blacks or Hispanics. The ethnic differences in the frequency of hepatic steatosis in this study mirror those observed previously for NAFLD-related cirrhosis (Hispanics > whites > blacks). In conclusion, the significant ethnic and sex differences in the prevalence of hepatic steatosis documented in this study may have a profound impact on susceptibility to steatosis-related liver disease. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;40:1387–1395.)

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