Abstract
Background and Aims
Recent evidences showed an association between NAFLD and extrahepatic manifestations such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) although the result is still inconclusive. This study aims to measure the association of microalbuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline as CKD risks in NAFLD patients.
Method
Comprehensive searching using predefined queries was done through online databases Pubmed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, and The Cochrane Library to include all relevant literature until November 2020. We included all cohort studies of NAFLD patients diagnosed by ultrasonography (USG), commutated tomography (CT), or scoring system fatty liver index (FLI) that reports microalbuminuria and eGFR decline below 60 ml/min/1.73m2. Bias risk was assessed by The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. Analysis of this study was performed to provide pooled hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using random-effect heterogeneity test.
Results
We included 10 cohort studies met our criteria. Analysis of 6 NAFLD cohort studies diagnosed by USG is significantly associated with eGFR decline (pooled HR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.11, p=0.006, I2=88%), while NAFLD patients diagnosed by FLI also showed significant association with eGFR decline (pooled HR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.52 to 1.64, p<0.0001, I2=0%), thus overall analysis combined with CT diagnostic modalities showed significant association between NAFLD and eGFR decline (pooled HR=1.53 95%CI 1.29-1.80 p<0.00001 I2=82%). Microalbuminuria risk is significantly increased in NAFLD patients (pooled HR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.39 to 2.67, p<0.0001, I2=0%). Surprisingly, NAFLD patients whose increased gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) has higher eGFR decline risk (pooled HR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.92, p=0.04, I2=78%).
Conclusion
Microalbuminuria and eGFR decline are associated as CKD risks in NAFLD patients. However, further studies are still needed to establish the causality.
THE CORRELATION OF LIVER FIBROSIS SEVERITY WITH ESTIMATED GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE IN NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASES
