Prevalence and staging of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Insulin resistance and altered energy metabolism is common in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and appears to also be associated with myocardial dysfunction. We aimed to evaluate prevalence, staging and clinical features correlated with NAFLD among patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Adults with HFpEF were prospectively enrolled. Demographic and clinical data were collected. NAFLD was defined based on liver biopsy, abdominal imaging or ICD-coding and the absence of other liver diseases. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed. 181 patients were analyzed. The median age was 70 with 89% white, 59% female, median BMI 35.1, and 48% with diabetes. NAFLD was present in 27% of the full cohort and 50% of those with imaging. In patients with imaging, multivariable analysis identified diabetes (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.29-8.88) and BMI (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.19) as independent correlates of NAFLD. 54% of NAFLD patients had a NAFLD fibrosis score consistent with advanced fibrosis. Cirrhosis was present in 6.6% of patients overall and 11.5% with imaging. NAFLD patients had a higher frequency of advanced heart failure (75% vs 55%, p 0.01). NAFLD has a two-fold higher prevalence in HFpEF compared to the general population and is independently associated with BMI and diabetes. Patients with HFpEF and NAFLD also appeared to have more advanced fibrosis including cirrhosis suggesting a potential synergistic effect of cardiac dysfunction on fibrosis risk in NAFLD. This data supports consideration for evaluation of underlying liver disease in HFpEF patients.