The correlation between controlled attenuation parameter and metabolic syndrome and its components in middle-aged and elderly nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients

This study aims to investigate the correlation between controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in middle-aged and elderly nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. Middle-aged and elderly patients with NAFLD, who visited our hospital from June 2016 to May 2017, were enrolled as study subjects, whereas middle-aged and elderly patients without liver disease were enrolled as controls in the same period. The prevalence of MetS, MetS components, and the different numbers of MetS components were compared among patients with different CAP values. As the CAP value increased, the prevalence of MetS, MetS components, and the different numbers of MetS components significantly increased. The CAP value was positively correlated with the prevalence of MetS, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperuricemia, and the number of MetS components, and was negatively correlated with the prevalence of hypo-high-density-lipoprotein cholesterolemia. CAP values are closely correlated to MetS and its components in middle-aged and elder NAFLD patients. CAP may be an indicator of risk of MetS and the severity of metabolic disorders in middle-aged and elderly NAFLD patients.