A low level of serum total testosterone is independently associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

BMC Gastroenterology

Ho-Chun Choi¹  Cheol Min Lee²  Seung-Won Oh²  Donghee Kim⁴  Belong Cho¹  Jin-Ho Park¹  Hyuktae Kwon²  Sunmi Kim³ 

[1] Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea;Department of Family Medicine, Healthcare Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, South Korea;Department of Family Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Kangwondo, South Korea;Department of Internal Medicine, Healthcare Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center, Seoul, South Korea

关键词: Visceral adipose tissue;    Total testosterone;    Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease;   

Others  :  1113038
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-230X-12-69

 received in 2011-12-27, accepted in 2012-06-12,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

The association between low serum testosterone levels, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and metabolic syndrome is now well known. However, the relationship between hepatic steatosis and serum testosterone levels has not been extensively studied. Our aim was to investigate the association of serum total testosterone levels with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), adjusting for the influence of VAT and insulin resistance.

Methods

This study is a retrospective observational cross-sectional one of healthy Korean men and was conducted at the Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center. We used data obtained from 495 men who were at least 20 years of age and who had undergone blood testing, abdominal computed tomography, and ultrasonography. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association of serum total testosterone levels with NAFLD.

Results

Men in the low serum testosterone quintile were at a higher risk for NAFLD than men in the highest serum testosterone quintile. After adjusting for age, smoking, diabetes, exercise, BMI, triglycerides, and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, subjects with serum testosterone levels in the lowest quintile had an odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 5.12 (2.43–10.77) for NAFLD (p value, 0.0004). The inverse association between serum testosterone and NAFLD was attenuated by further adjustment for variables including VAT; however, it remained statistically significant (OR (95% CI): 4.52 (2.09–9.80) in the lowest quintile; p value=0.004).

Conclusions

A low serum total testosterone level was independently associated with NAFLD. This report is the first one suggesting the association remains unchanged even after controlling for VAT and insulin resistance.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Kim et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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