Lipids & metabolic liver disease
The hidden epidemic: Uncovering incidental fatty liver disease and its metabolic comorbidities by datamining in a hospital data lake – A real-world cohort study
Authors' conclusion
The incidental radiological finding of FLD is reliable and associated with metabolic risks but largely ignored, although it should lead to metabolic and hepatic follow-up.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals with abdominal imaging reports (2008–2020), Helsinki Uusimaa Hospital district (Finland), population 1.7 million (specialist and primary care); other liver diseases excluded
- Outcome
- Prevalence of incidental fatty liver disease (FLD)
Methodological detailsreal-world, hospital data lake, phrase recognition script on imaging reports
- Real-world
- Hospital data lake
- Phrase recognition script on imaging reports
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of FLD
Prevalence of fatty liver disease (FLD)
29%
Steatosis yes/no, N
61,271 of 155,521
Cirrhosis, N
3502
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Accuracy of phrase recognition
- False positive and negative rates
- 5-6%
Recognition and evaluation of FLD
- FLD cases with ICD code recorded
- 1.6%
- Underwent full clinical evaluation for associated co-morbidities
- 32%
Metabolic comorbidities in FLD aged 35-65 years
- Diabetes
- 20%
- Prediabetes
- 42%
- High liver fibrosis index
- 28%
Independent predictors of FLD
- Diabetes, OR
- 1.56 (CI 1.46-1.66; p = 2.3 * 10^−41)
- BMI, OR (1.42-1.50; p = 1.7 * 10^−154)
- 1.46
- Plasma TG level, OR (1.43-1.57; p = 3.5 * 10^−68)
- 1.5
- ALT level, mildly increased risk, OR (1.08-1.16; p = 2.2 * 10^−9)
- 1.12
- High age, decreased risk, OR (0.89-0.94; p = 4.65*10^−09)
- 0.92
ALT in FLD cases
- Half of the cases had normal ALT
Original publication
The hidden epidemic: Uncovering incidental fatty liver disease and its metabolic comorbidities by datamining in a hospital data lake – A real-world cohort study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. Published 11 March 2024. doi:10.
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