Quality of Life in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Combination with Essential Hypertension

Introduction. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases where its frequency in the population varies within 3.0–40.0 %. Pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has a close relation to the components of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia and hypertension. In 14.0–20.0 % NAFLD is combined with the defeat of the cardiovascular system, including essential hypertension. The long course of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in combination with essential hypertension can negatively affect the patient’s quality of life. Purpose of the study is to find out the features of quality of life in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in combination with essential hypertension. Materials and research methods. We investigated the quality of life of 38 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease combined with hypertension (research group) and in 36 patients with isolated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (comparison group). The control group included 20 healthy individuals. Assessment of quality of life was performed using the Ukrainian version of the questionnaire Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (MOS SF-36). Results of the investigation and their discussion. Accession to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease of hypertension significantly aggravated the quality of life compared to the quality of life of patients with isolated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (p < 0.05). Conclusions. The quality of life of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is significantly reduced. Accession to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease of hypertension significantly affects the quality of life of patients which is manifested as a decrease of physical condition (especially role-functioning caused by physical condition, pain intensity and overall health) and mental health (especially the vitality and social functioning). This is reflected by decrease in parameters of physical and psychological health. It is necessary to consider this factor in treating patients with this pathology