High prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated with serum levels of triglyceride and cholesterol but not simple visceral obesity

Abstract

Background/aims: Visceral obesity is commonly involved in the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, other characteristic factors different from visceral obesity are associated with the pathogenesis of NAFLD. We investigated the prevalence of GERD symptoms in patients with NAFLD and its associated risk factors.

Methods: NAFLD (n = 96) and controls (n = 139) were enrolled in this study. GERD symptoms were evaluated by using a frequency scale for the symptoms of GERD.

Results: GERD symptom score and its prevalence rate were higher in the NAFLD group (7.4 ± 0.7, 37%) than those seen in the control groups (4.5 ± 0.4, 20%), which was independent of sex, age, and body mass index (BMI). GERD symptoms were correlated with insulin resistance (r = 0.167, p = 0.011), total cholesterol (T-CHO) (r = 0.138, p = 0.034), triglyceride (TG) (r = 0.178, p = 0.006), or immunoreactive insulin (r = 0.173, p = 0.008) but not BMI (r = 0.089, p = 0.175). GERD symptoms of the NAFLD group were significantly severer in the higher group of T-CHO and TG levels than those in the lower group. Multivariate analysis proved that risk factors related to GERD symptoms were TG (OR 3.96, 95% CI 1.31-11.9) and T-CHO (OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.11-10.3).

Conclusion: The severity and prevalence of GERD symptoms in patients with NAFLD were high, which was associated with serum levels of TG and T-CHO but not BMI.