Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem. Iron is the leading cause of liver damage in patients with thalassaemia major (TM), and data on the contribution of NAFLD to liver damage in TM is lacking. 45 TM patients who did not have liver cirrhosis were evaluated for the effects of iron overload. Nine (20%) patients had significant liver steatosis (S 1), and their body mass index (BMI) and liver fibrosis scores were higher than in patients without significant steatosis (SO) (p =0.03 and p 20.004, respectively). On regression analysis, liver steatosis was associated only with increase liver fibrosis was associated with increasing age. liver steatosis. male gender, and the presence Of diabetes. Neither liver steatosis nor fibrosis showed a significant association with liver iron concentration Or iron-related organ damage (hypogonadism). In this cohort of TM patients, steatosis of the liver. which is associated with increasing BMI, appeared to increase the risk of liver fibrosis.

Padmapani Padeniya, Dileepa Ediriweera, Arjuna P. De Silva, Madunil Niriella, Anuja Premawardhena

British Journal of Haematology

Abstract:- https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.18492