RESEARCH ARTICLE Nonalcoholic Hepatic Steatosis Is a Strong Predictor of High-Risk Coronary-Artery Plaques as Determined by Multidetector CT

Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with a risk of coronary artery disease (e.g., diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome). We evaluated whether nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis is associated with high-risk plaques as assessed by multidetector com-puted tomography (CT). Methods This retrospective study involved 414 participants suspected of having coronary artery dis-ease. Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis was defined as a liver-to-spleen fat ratio of <1.0 and the presence and appropriate characteristics of coronary-artery plaques as assessed by coronary CT angiography. High-risk plaques were identified, as were low-density plaques, positive remodeling, and spotty calcification. Results Compared with patients who did not have nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis, patients with non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis had more low-density plaques (21 % vs. 44%, p<0.01), positiv