INCIDENCE AND ULTRASONOGRAPHIC PATTERNS OF HEPATIC STEATOSIS IN THE ELDERLY

A retrospective ultrasonographic study was conducted to assess the inc idence of hepatic steatosis in subjects in the age range 18-92 years, to evaluate the prevalence of hepatic steatosis in different age group s (Group A: age range 65-92 years; Group B: age range 18-64 years) and to show the related ultrasonographic patterns (diffuse homogeneous, u ltrasound attenuation, skip areas, skip areas and ultrasound attenuati on, focal or irregular). The occurrence of hepatic steatosis (24.8 % i n the whole study population) showed a statistically significant diffe rence (p < 0.005) between Groups A (17.7 %) and B (28.4 %). Besides, t he prevalence of various ultrasonographic patterns of hepatic steatosi s was different. In the elderly group A the incidence of ultrasound at tenuation and focal or irregular distribution was almost doubled. The lower occurrence of hepatic steatosis in the elderly may be an express ion of a natural selection, since steatosis is generally associated wi th factors of vascular risk and chronic liver diseases, which may caus e a reduced survival. The greater prevalence of ultrasound attenuation pattern in the elderly may be an expression of advanced steatosis and /or micro-irregular distribution of fatty hepatocytes. The high incide nce of focal or irregular pattern may depend on vascular alterations o f the liver causing focal fat overload.