LIVER STEATOSIS AND ITS RELATION TO PLASMA HEMOSTATIC FACTORS IN APPARENTLY HEALTHY-MEN - ROLE OF THE METABOLIC SYNDROME

The relationship between liver steatosis, evaluated by ultrasonography , and various plasma haemostatic factors was examined in 64 apparently healthy males, aged 38 years. Plasma levels of factor VII clotting ac tivity (F-VIIc), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity an d antigen, tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity significa ntly differed in men with liver steatosis (n = 31) as compared with th ose without steatosis (n = 33). No significant differences were found in t-PA antigen and F-VII antigen. The men with liver steatosis also h ad significantly higher body mass index (BMI), plasma triglyceride and 2 h post-load insulin concentrations. While the differences in plasma haemostatic factors were substantially unchanged after adjustment for BMI, they totally disappeared when further allowance was made for pla sma triglyceride and 2 h insulin concentrations. Ln conclusion, these results indicate that liver steatosis correlates specifically with inc reased PAI-I, F-VIIc and decreased t-PA levels, and suggest that such a relation is largely mediated by concomitant alterations in plasma tr iglyceride and insulin concentrations.