[A clinical and pathological study of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathological and clinical features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: Grades and stages of liver lesions in 41 patients with NAFLD were analyzed. The relationships between pathohistological features of the livers, serum biochemical parameters, ultrasound examination and other clinical data of the patients were studied. RESULTS: Among the 41 patients with NAFLD (there were 21 with their liver fatty degeneration in grade 1, 15 in grade 2, and 5 in grade 3). There were 2 of grade 0, grade 1 had 25, grade 2 had 10, grade 3 had 3, and grade 4 had 1. Stage 0 of fibrosis was 20, stage 1 was 14, stage 2 was 4, stage 3 was 2, and stage 4 was 1. Degree of fatty degeneration was not positively associated with the body mass index (BMI) of the patients and the ultrasound findings in their livers. Grading of the inflammation was positively related to the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in the blood and ultrasound findings in their livers, but negatively to the platelet counts. Staging of fibrosis of the livers was positively related to the blood ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP, and negatively to triglyceride levels and platelet counts. CONCLUSIONS: Degree of liver fatty degeneration was not associated with grades of inflammation and staging of fibrosis of the liver. BMI, ALT and AST level, platelet counts, and ultrasound grades of fatty liver were associated with the liver histopathological changes of NAFLD patients. Liver biopsy is the essential way to make a diagnosis of NAFLD.