Abstract BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are frequent complaints from individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Dyspepsia is a universal clinical symptom and is among the most common GI complaints observed in the general population, but its prevalence in the population with NAFLD has not been previously investigated. OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of functional dyspepsia (FD) between patients with NAFLD and controls without liver disease. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study at the Outpatient Liver Clinic, University Hospital, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. METHODS: We included 96 NAFLD patients and 105 controls without liver disease. All participants were assessed for GI symptoms in accordance with the Rome III criteria. Evaluation methods included a questionnaire for FD (validated in Brazil), laboratory tests and upper GI endoscopy. RESULTS: Mean age and sex were similar between the groups. The NAFLD group presented higher frequency of proton-pump inhibitor usage (31.3% vs 4.8%; P < 0.001) and prevalence of FD (25.0% versus 12.4%; P = 0.021). The symptom frequencies were as follows: postprandial distress, 22.9% versus 11.4% (P = 0.030); postprandial fullness, 18.8% versus 10.5% (P = 0.095); early satiation, 8.3% versus 5.7% (P = 0.466); and epigastric pain or burning, 18.8% versus 5.7% (P = 0.004), in NAFLD patients and controls, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that female sex (odds ratio, OR 6.97; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.51-32.12; P = 0.013) and NAFLD diagnosis (OR 2.45; 95% CI: 1.14-5.27; P = 0.021) were independently associated with FD occurrence. CONCLUSION: FD occurs more frequently in individuals with NAFLD than in controls without hepatic disease.

RESUMO A doença hepática gordurosa não alcoólica (DHGNA) é caracterizada pela deposição significativa de lipídios nos hepatócitos de pacientes que não apresentam história de ingestão alcoólica significativa. É a doença do fígado mais prevalente em populações ocidentais e existe forte associação da DHGNA com a resistência à insulina (RI) e com a síndrome metabólica. O tratamento objetiva reduzir a RI, o estresse oxidativo, a obesidade, a dislipidemia bem como a inflamação e a fibrose hepáticas. O tratamento atual baseia-se principalmente em modificações do estilo de vida, que incluem dieta e prática regular de exercícios físicos, associadas ao tratamento de todos os componentes da síndrome metabólica. Quanto ao tratamento medicamentoso da esteato-hepatite não alcoólica, os agentes insulino-sensibilizantes e os antioxidantes parecem os mais promissores, especialmente as tiazolidinodionas e a vitamina E, mas faltam estudos multicêntricos avaliando sua segurança a longo prazo.

SUMMARY Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic accumulation of lipid in patients who do not consume alcohol in amounts generally considered harmful to the liver. NAFLD is becoming a major liver disease in Eastern countries and it is related to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Treatment has focused on improving insulin sensitivity, protecting the liver from oxidative stress, decreasing obesity and improving diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Lifestyle modification involving diet and enhanced physical activity associated with the treatment of underlying metabolic are the main stain in the current management of NAFLD. Insulin-sensitizing agents and antioxidants, especially thiazolidinediones and vitamin E, seem to be the most promising pharmacologic treatment for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, but further long-term multicenter studies to assess safety are recommended.