Association of non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Urolithiasis detected on non-Contrast Computed Tomography

Abstract

Background & Objectives: We aimed to assess whether there is an association between urolithiasis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using non-enhanced computed tomography. Methods :This is a case control study done from October to December 2019, a total of 284 non-contrasts CT scans of reviewed. The subjects were assigned in to cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver group defined with lower average Hounsfield unit of liver than that of spleen and control involved non-fatty liver defined as patients whose Hounsfield of liver parenchyma higher than that of spleen. We determined the percentage of urolithiasis (patients having radiopaque stones in the urinary tract including kidneys, ureters or urinary bladder) in both groups and calculated their significance of relation. Results: The non-alcoholic fatty liver group involved 112 cases of which 67 (59.8%) male, 45 (40.2%) female and control of non-fatty liver group involved 172 cases; of which, 89 (51.8%) male, 83 (48.2%) female. The incidence of stone disease was significantly higher in non-alcoholic fatty liver (36.6%) than control group (12.2%) which statistically significant with increasing detection rate of renal stone (OR: 4.1, 95% CI, 2.28-7.54). The correlation was still significant when evaluated among males and females separately. Though the prevalence of stone among males (25.6%) is higher than females (17.2), yet it was not statistically significant. This is also true among males (41.8% stone) and females (28.9% stone) in case subjects. Conclusion: Non-alcoholic fatty liver has an association with significant increase in prevalence of urolithiasis than those without non-alcoholic fatty liver, that is can be considered an independent risk factor variable for renal stone formation.