Fatty liver disease and the risk of erosive esophagitis in a sample of iraqi patients: a cross sectional study

Objectives: To investigate an association between fatty liver disease (FLD) and erosive esophagitis. Aim of Study: To look for the presence of association between fatty liver disease (FLD) and erosive esophagitis in a sample of Iraqi patients. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of asymptomatic patients did esophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) in two large gastroenterology centers between April 2019 and May 2020. Erosive esophagitis was classified according to Los Angeles (LA) classification and FLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography and fibroscan (Ultrasound Attenuation Parameter UAP). the anthropometric and laboratory data of the patients were analyzed with chi square test and phi coefficient. Results: In 110 patients, the total number of patients were classified according to OGD results into two groups, erosive esophagitis and non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Again, the total number of patients classified into two groups, 40 (36.4%) patients found to have FLD were classified as fatty liver group and 70 (63.6%) patients found not to have FLD and classified as non-fatty liver disease group. The percentage of erosive esophagitis is higher in FLD group 21/40(52.5%) than in non-FLD group 19(47.5%), and the risk factors were investigated and correlated to each group by specific statistical equations. Conclusion: There is a significant association between FLD and erosive esophagitis and FLD is an independent risk factor for erosive esophagitis