Correlation between Uric Acid and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Occurred in Obesity and Non-Obesity

BACKGROUND/AIM: Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is one of the main causes that promote chronic liver disease in developing countries. Uric acid is correlated to metabolic syndrome. Based on this issue, we studied the correlation between uric acid level and the occurrence of NASH in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with or without obesity.

METHODS: The research subjects were 149 patients diagnosed with NAFLD. The data were collected from the medical record by purposive sampling method. The subjects were taken from inpatient and outpatient data from Wahidin Sudirohusodo hospital. The medical record included demography, clinical, radiology and laboratory records. Statistical analysis were performed through descriptive statistical calculations, Pearson Correlation and multinomial logistic.

RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between NAFLD and uric acid level (p=.000). Based on gender, the correlation between NAFLD and uricemia was significant in female patients (with p=.000); but insignificant in male patients (p=.137). Based on age, in age of >40 years old, NAFLD was significantly associated with uric acid level (p=.000). There was a significant correlation between hyperuricemia and NASH in obese and non-obese patients (p <0.001) for which the higher the uric acid level the greater the NAFLD degree was.

CONCLUSION: There is a correlation between uric acid level and NASH occurrence in NAFLD with or without obesity.