We investigated how liver
fat content (LFC) in
fluences cholesterol metabolism by quanti
fying liver
fat using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and by measuring the serum concentrations o
f lathosterol, a marker o
f cholesterol synthesis, and sitosterol and campesterol, two markers o
f cholesterol absorption. We also evaluated whether this relationship could be modi
fied by statin therapy. The study was conducted in 263 patients with type 2 diabetes, 137 o
f whom (52.0 % ) received statin therapy.
Results
One hundred and sixty-five patients (62.7 % ) had steatosis (LFC>5.5 % ). We performed specific analyses in patients without statin therapy and in patients treated with statin therapy. In both groups, the lathosterol to cholesterol ratio correlated positively with LFC, and in multivariate analysis, the lathosterol to cholesterol ratio was associated with LFC independently of age, gender and BMI. Sitosterol and campesterol concentrations were not associated with LFC.
Conclusions
Our study suggests that in patients with type 2 diabetes, LFC is associated with an increase in cholesterol synthesis that is independent of obesity or diabetes mellitus. Statin therapy does not modify this relationship.