Splenomegaly in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Aim 

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of splenomegaly in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Patients and methods 

All adult patients attending the Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic of Al-Azhar-Assiut University Hospital in the period from February 2017 to February 2018 were screened for NAFLD and splenomegaly by abdominal ultrasound. Patients who found to have NAFLD and splenomegaly were subjected to the following laboratory investigations: complete blood count, peripheral blood film, hepatitis B virus surface antigen test, hepatitis C virus antibodies test, Widal test, Brucella agglutination test, anti-Schistosoma antibody tests, and lipid profile.

Results 

NAFLD was found in 1960 patients out of the 5069 patients who attended (38.66%). Splenomegaly was found in 269 patients out of the 1960 patients with NAFLD (13.72%), while only 110 (3.53%) patients had splenomegaly in the non-NAFLD arm. Of the 269 patients with splenomegaly in the NAFLD arm, 56 patients were excluded owing to being positive for one or more of the possible causes of splenomegaly (depending on the results of blood tests). So, splenomegaly with no apparent possible cause is present in 213 (10.38%) patients of the NAFLD arm.

Conclusion 

Splenomegaly is present in 10.38% of the NAFLD patients.