Pancretic Fat Accummulation is Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between pancreatic fat accumulation and markers of atherosclerosis among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Patients with NAFLD have been reported to be at an increased risk of vascular events. We grouped 183 patients in whom we detected and graded hepatosteatosis (HS) on transabdominal ultrasonography into 2 groups based on the presence/absence of pancreatic fat. There were 85 participants (50 female; mean age: 53.6 ± 9.7 years) who were nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease (NAFPD) positive and 98 participants (56 female; mean age: 51.4 ± 9.3 years) who were NAFPD negative. Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) was significantly greater in the group where HS was accompanied by NAFPD (0.51 [0.40–0.62] vs 0.45 [0.35–0.55] mm; P < .001). Multivariable analyses showed that the independent predictors of increased cIMT were age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.108; 95% CI: 1.059–1.158, P = .001), hypertension (OR: 2.244; 95% CI: 1.099–4.579, P = .026), and the presence of NAFPD (OR: 3.078; CI 95% CI: 1.531–6.190, P = .0002). In the present study we demonstrated that, in patients with NAFLD, pancreatic fat accumulation was significantly associated with cIMT, a marker of early atherosclerosis. NAFPD may increase the risk of vascular events associated with NAFLD.