A Simple Rapid Method for Measuring Liver Steatosis Using Bioelectrical Impedance.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Easy measurement of liver steatosis without pathological diagnosis may help improve donor surgery efficiency and increase the chances of organ donations. We analyzed the correlations between bioelectrical impedance (BI) in human livers, liver fat content, and pathological findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen tumor-free liver specimens resected during elective oncological surgery were analyzed. All samples were stored in ice chilled saline before BI measurement. The BI measurement was performed using a device with the tetrapolar circuit method in which the current and voltage electrodes are independent. Liver cholesterol and triglyceride levels were investigated from the same specimen using the Soxhlet extraction method. Pathological findings were examined by counting the number of hepatocytes with fatty changes per high-power field. RESULTS: The median liver steatosis percentage was 0.4%. The liver steatosis percentage was significantly correlated with the intrahepatic triglyceride content (r=0.82, p<0.001). Linear regression of the measurements and predicted values yielded an r2 of 0.63 between the BI at 100 kHz and liver steatosis, indicating reasonable agreement (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: BI analysis is a simple, non-invasive method that can be easily applied to evaluate liver steatosis.

Increase of visceral fat area in Indonesians and Japanese with normal BMI.

We compared the visceral fat accumulation between Indonesians and Japanese. Non-obese (25>BMI> or =18.5) men aged between their 20s and 50s were collected in Toban including moderately populated middle-sized cities of Hyogo Prefecture in Japan, and Sangsit town and Pedawa village in Indonesia. Their visceral fat accumulation was assessed by determination of visceral fat area (VFA) that was measured through bio-electrical impedance analysis. VFA as well as VFA per body weight in those aged in their 20s did not vary significantly among Toban, Sangsit and Pedawa. In these three districts, they increased with age. Compared with VFA as well as VFA per body weight among those aged in their 20s, they increased in their 30s and over in the urban area of both Japan and Indonesia, whereas it did in their 40s and over in Pedawa, economically poor district. The inhabitants in their 40s and over in Sangsit and those in their 30s and over in Pedawa had less VFA than those with the corresponding age in Toban, while those in the 30s and 40s in Pedawa and those in their 40s in Sangsit had less VFA per body weight than those with corresponding age in Toban. In conclusion, the visceral fat appears to accumulate progressively with aging and urbanization of lifestyle even in those with normal body mass index. It is recommended that some preventive measures against visceral fat accumulation should be taken in their 20s or under for urban dwellers and in their 30s or under for rural inhabitants.