Reduction of Visceral Adiposity as a Predictor for Resolution of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver in Potential Living Liver Donors

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the factors associated with resolution of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) after lifestyle intervention in potential living liver donors as assessed by the gold standards in a longitudinal setting. This retrospective study included 115 potential living liver donors (mean age, 30.5 +/- 7.5 years; 101 men) with NAFL who underwent paired liver biopsies and abdominal computed tomography (CT) examinations before and after lifestyle intervention between January 2011 and December 2018. Anthropometry, laboratory parameters, body composition, and hepatic steatosis (HS) were evaluated before and after lifestyle intervention. Anthropometry, laboratory parameters, body composition, and HS were significantly decreased after lifestyle intervention (all, P < 0.001). Relative changes in HS were weakly correlated with relative changes in the visceral fat area (VFA; r = 0.278; P = 0.003) and subcutaneous fat area (r = 0.382; P < 0.001), but not with body weight, body mass index, or skeletal muscle area. Patients with resolved NAFL after lifestyle intervention had significantly lower VFA at follow-up than those with persistent NAFL (mean +/- standard deviation, 69.8 +/- 39.1 versus 91.5 +/- 41.4 cm(2); P = 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the relative reduction of VFA (odds ratio per percent, 1.031; 95% confidence interval, 1.010-1.053; P = 0.004) was a significant independent factor associated with resolved NAFL after lifestyle intervention. In potential living liver donors with NAFL, the reduction of VFA is a significant factor associated with the resolution of NAFL after lifestyle intervention.