Association of blood pressure with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease defined by fatty liver index

Despite the known association between hypertension and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the cut-off values of blood pressure for identifying risk of NAFLD have not yet been determined. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance and optimal cut-off values of blood pressure for detecting NAFLD defined by fatty liver index (FLI). This cross-sectional study included 1227 participants aged 35-55 years. NAFLD was determined by FLI with a cut-off value of ≥60. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic ability of blood pressure parameters for screening FLI-defined NAFLD and to determine their cut-off values. The results of this study showed that systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly correlated with FLI values. The prevalence of NAFLD defined by FLI was 23.5% in men and 18.2% in women. The ROC curve analysis showed a good ability of blood pressure for the prediction of FLI-defined NAFLD. The optimal cut-off values of SBP and DBP were 136 and 88 mmHg in men and 137 and 85 mmHg in women, respectively. Thus, high-normal blood pressure is associated with the risk of NAFLD defined by FLI in both men and women.