TABLE 1.
Baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics according to suspected NAFLD (fatty liver index (FLI) ≥60)
| Variables | No NAFLD (FLI <60) | NAFLD (FLI ≥60) | P‐value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants, n | 4,327 | 1,970 | <.001 |
| Sex, n (%) male | 1,820 (42) | 1,308 (66) | <.001 |
| Age, years | 52 ± 12 | 57 ± 11 | <.001 |
| Type 2 diabetes, n (%) | 127 (3) | 256 (13) | <.001 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 1,021 (24) | 1,077 (55) | <.001 |
| History of cardiovascular disease, n (%) | 192 (4) | 199 (10) | <.001 |
| History of malignancy, n (%) | 249 (6) | 104 (5) | .50 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 24.8 ± 2.8 | 30.9 ± 4.1 | <.001 |
| Waist circumference, cm | 86 ± 9 | 105 ± 9 | <.001 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mmHg | 122 ± 17 | 135 ± 18 | <.001 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg | 72 ± 9 | 77 ± 9 | <.001 |
| NT‐ProBNP, ng/L | 43 [23‐82] | 37 [17‐78] | <.001 |
| Antihypertensive treatment, n (%) | 567 (15) | 666 (37) | <.001 |
| Smoking status, current n (%) | 1235 (29) | 519 (27) | .07 |
| Alcohol intake | |||
| No, almost never, n (%) | 1,015 (24) | 560 (29) | <.001 |
| <1 drink per day, n (%) | 2,171 (51) | 850 (44) | |
| ≥1 drink per day, n (%) | 1,097 (26) | 544 (28) | |
| Total cholesterol, mmol/L | 5.3 ± 1.0 | 5.7 ± 1.1 | <.001 |
| HDL cholesterol, mmol/L | 1.3 ± 0.3 | 1.1 ± 0.2 | <.001 |
| Triglycerides, mmol/L | 0.95 [0.72‐1.27] | 1.71 [1.30‐2.34] | <.001 |
| Lipid‐lowering drugs, n (%) | 232 (6) | 266 (15) | <.001 |
| ALT, U/L | 15 [12‐20] | 23 [17‐32] | <.001 |
| AST, U/L | 21 [19‐25] | 25 [21‐30] | <.001 |
| Gamma‐GT, U/L | 19 [14‐28] | 41 [29‐63] | <.001 |
| Glucose, mmol/L | 4.7 [4.4‐5.1] | 5.2 [4.7‐5.9] | <.001 |
| Insulin, mU/L | 6.9 [5.1‐9.3] | 13.1 [9.5‐19.1] | <.001 |
| Glucose‐lowering drugs, n (%) | 72 (2) | 152 (8) | <.001 |
| eGFR, ml/min/1.73m2 | 94 ± 16 | 87 ± 18 | <.001 |
| Urinary albumin excretion, mg/24‐h | 7.8 [5.8‐12.8] | 11.7 [7.2‐27.0] | <.001 |
| Ketone bodies | |||
| Total ketone bodies, µmol/L | 170 [133‐243] | 194 [153‐259] | <.001 |
| β‐hydroxybutyric acid, µmol/L | 116 [89‐165] | 133 [104‐179] | <.001 |
| Acetoacetate, µmol/L | 38 [25‐57] | 41 [28‐59] | <.001 |
| Acetone, µmol/L | 19 [12‐28] | 22 [14‐32] | <.001 |
Comparisons of baseline characteristics and circulating ketone bodies between participants with and without NAFLD were tested using independent sample t test, Mann‐Whitney U test or chi‐square test where appropriate.