AUTHOR=Borges-Canha Marta , Neves João Sérgio , Mendonça Fernando , Silva Maria Manuel , Costa Cláudia , Cabral Pedro M. , Guerreiro Vanessa , Lourenço Rita , Meira Patrícia , Salazar Daniela , Ferreira Maria João , Pedro Jorge , Leite Ana , Von-Hafe Madalena , Vale Catarina , Viana Sara , Sande Ana , Belo Sandra , Lau Eva , Freitas Paula , Carvalho Davide 

TITLE=Thyroid Function and the Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Morbid Obesity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.572128

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2020.572128

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>An association between hypothyroidism and the risk of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) has been suggested. This association remains to be elucidated in patients with morbid obesity.</p></sec><sec><title>Aim</title><p>To evaluate the association between thyroid function and parameters of liver function and hepatic scores in patients with morbid obesity.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Patients with morbid obesity followed in our center between January 2010 and July 2018 were included. The ones without evaluation of liver and thyroid functions were excluded. <italic>Fatty Liver Index</italic> (FLI) and BARD scores were used as predictors of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, respectively.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>We observed a positive association between TSH and both BARD (OR 1.14; p = 0.035) and FLI (OR 1.19; p = 0.010) in the unadjusted analysis. We found a negative association between free triiodothyronine levels and BARD (OR 0.70; p&lt;0.01) and a positive association between free triiodothyronine levels and FLI (OR 1.48; p = 0.022). Concerning liver function, we found a positive association between total bilirubin and free thyroxine levels (β = 0.18 [0.02 to 0.35]; p = 0.033) and a negative association between total bilirubin and free triiodothyronine levels (β = −0.07 [−0.14 to −0.002]; p = 0.042).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Higher levels of TSH and free triiodothyronine may be associated with a higher risk of NAFLD, particularly steatosis, in patients with morbid obesity.</p></sec>