Table 1.

Baseline Characteristics of Study Population

	Non-NAFLD (n = 66,801)		NAFLD with normal liver enzyme levelsa (n = 41,461)		NAFLD with increased liver enzyme levels (n = 21,112)
Baseline characteristics	n	(%)	n	(%)	n	(%)	P valueb	P valuec
Age, y
<50	52,099	78.0	25,171	60.7	14,937	70.8	<.0001	<.0001
50–59	8414	12.6	9006	21.7	3746	17.7
60–69	4284	6.4	5277	12.7	1853	8.8
≥70	2004	3.0	2007	4.8	576	2.7
Means ± SD	42.36 ± 11.11		47.32 ± 11.98		44.38 ± 11.11		<.0001	<.0001
Sex
Female	44,386	66.4	17,138	41.3	6168	29.2	<.0001	<.0001
Male	22,415	33.6	24,323	58.7	14,944	70.8
Cigarette smoking
Never	54,120	81.9	29,446	72.0	13,897	66.7	<.0001	<.0001
Ever	11,968	18.1	11,445	28.0	6942	33.3
Missing	713		570		273
Platelet count, 103/μL
≥200	56,056	83.9	35,757	86.3	18,514	87.7	<.0001	<.0001
<200	10,744	16.1	5702	13.8	2597	12.3
Missing	1		2		1
AFP level, ng/mL
<5	60,496	90.9	37,276	90.1	18,772	89.1	<.0001	.0001
≥5	6043	9.1	4093	9.9	2290	10.9
Missing	262		92		50
Triglyceride level, mg/dL
<150	61,748	92.4	27,820	67.10	9930	47.0	<.0001	<.0001
≥150	5053	7.6	13,641	32.90	11,182	53.0
Total cholesterol level, mg/dL
<200	42,744	64.0	20,540	49.5	8715	41.3	<.0001	<.0001
≥200	24,057	36.0	20,920	50.5	12,396	58.7
Missing	0		1		1
Diabetesd
No	65,635	98.3	37,675	90.9	18,372	87.0	<.0001	<.0001
Yes	1164	1.7	3779	9.1	2738	13.0
Missing	2		7		2

NOTE. N = 129,374.

AFP, α-fetoprotein; NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

^aNormal liver enzyme levels were defined as an ALT level <40 IU/L and an AST level <37 IU/L for men and an ALT level <31 IU/L and an AST level <31 IU/L for women.

^bComparisons of the non-NAFLD and NAFLD study participants with normal liver enzyme levels.

^cComparisons between normal and increased liver enzyme levels among NAFLD participants.

^dDiabetes was defined as a fasting blood glucose level of ≥126 mg/dL or self-reported on the use of diabetes medications.