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Horm Metab Res 2015; 47(07): 479-484
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1389982
Endocrine Care
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Influence of Plasma Cortisol and Other Laboratory Parameters on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

J. M. Hubel   *
1   Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
,
S. A. Schmidt   *
2   Department of diagnostic and interventional Radiology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
,
R. A. Mason
3   Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
,
M. M. Haenle
1   Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
,
S. Oeztuerk
1   Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
,
W. Koenig
4   Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
,
B. O. Boehm
5   Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Imperial College London and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
,
W. Kratzer
1   Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
,
T. Graeter
2   Department of diagnostic and interventional Radiology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
,
M. Flechtner-Mors
6   Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm, Germany
,
the EMIL-Study Group › Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 15 July 2014

accepted 26 August 2014

Publication Date:
08 October 2014 (online)

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Abstract

The objective of the present study was to analyse the association between the plasma cortisol concentration and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A total of 1 326 subjects (age 18–65 years) were examined in the context of an epidemiological study of a population-based random sample. Medical history and anthropometric data of 662 women and 664 men were documented. In addition, laboratory examinations were performed and the fat concentration of the liver was estimated by ultrasound examination. Mean cortisol concentration in plasma was 260.4±156.8 nmol/l for women and 295.8±161.2 nmol/l for men. NAFLD was identified in 17.7% in women and 35.1% in men. Plasma cortisol concentration showed no association with the existence of NAFLD. NAFLD correlated positive with age, body-mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and triglycerides. The present study failed to establish any association of plasma cortisol concentrations and NAFLD.

Key words

cortisol - NAFLD - ultrasonography - cross-sectional study

*  These authors contributed equally to this work.


 

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