Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science

Original articles

Association between total body muscle percentage and prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Korean adults findings from an 18-year follow-up: a prospective cohort study: Byoung Chan Ahn, Chul Yong Park, Jung Hee Hong, Ki Ook Baek; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2023;40(Suppl):S47-S55. Published online August 29, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2023.00605

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Background
This study aimed to elucidate the association between total lean muscle mass and the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the adult Korean population.
Methods
Utilizing data derived from the 18-year prospective cohort of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, NAFLD was diagnosed via the hepatic steatosis index with an established cutoff value of 36. Lean muscle mass was assessed via bioelectrical impedance analysis and subsequently divided into tertiles. A generalized mixed model with a logit link was employed for repeated measures data analysis, accounting for potential confounders.
Results
Analysis encompassed 7,794 participants yielding 49,177 measurements. The findings revealed a markedly increased incidence of NAFLD in the lower tertiles of muscle mass, specifically, tertile 1 (odds ratio [OR], 20.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.66–44.11) and tertile 2 (OR, 4.57; 95% CI, 2.11–9.91), in comparison to tertile 3. Age-dependent decreases in the OR were observed within the tertile 1 group, with ORs of 10.12 at age of 40 years and 4.96 at age of 80 years. Moreover, each 1%-point increment in total muscle mass corresponded with an estimated OR of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.82–0.93) for NAFLD resolution.
Conclusions
The study demonstrates a significant association between total muscle mass and NAFLD prevalence among Korean adults. Given the potential endocrine role of muscle mass in NAFLD pathogenesis, interventions aimed at enhancing muscle mass might serve as an effective public health strategy for mitigating NAFLD prevalence.

Association between fatty liver disease and hearing impairment in Korean adults: a retrospective cross-sectional study: Da Jung Jung; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2023;40(4):402-411. Published online June 26, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2023.00304

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Abstract PDF: Background
We hypothesized that fatty liver disease (FLD) is associated with a high prevalence of hearing loss (HL) owing to metabolic disturbances. This study aimed to evaluate the association between FLD and HL in a large sample of the Korean population.
Methods
We used a dataset of adults who underwent routine voluntary health checkups (n=21,316). Fatty liver index (FLI) was calculated using Bedogni’s equation. The patients were divided into two groups: the non-FLD (NFLD) group (n=18,518, FLI <60) and the FLD group (n=2,798, FLI ≥60). Hearing thresholds were measured using an automatic audiometer. The average hearing threshold (AHT) was calculated as the pure-tone average at four frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 kHz). HL was defined as an AHT of >40 dB.
Results
HL was observed in 1,370 (7.4%) and 238 patients (8.5%) in the NFLD and FLD groups, respectively (p=0.041). Compared with the NFLD group, the odds ratio for HL in the FLD group was 1.16 (p=0.040) and 1.46 (p<0.001) in univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, respectively. Linear regression analyses revealed that FLI was positively associated with AHT in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Analyses using a propensity score-matched cohort showed trends similar to those using the total cohort.
Conclusion
FLD and FLI were associated with poor hearing thresholds and HL. Therefore, active monitoring of hearing impairment in patients with FLD may be helpful for early diagnosis and treatment of HL in the general population.

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