Proposed cut-off value of the intrahepatic lipid content for metabolically normal persons assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a Japanese population.

Aims: To determine the threshold intrahepatic lipid (IHL) content separating metabolically normal from abnormal in a Japanese population based on proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS).

Methods: A total of 305 Japanese subjects aged 20-69years were investigated. The subjects underwent general examination, blood tests, and (1)H-MRS of the liver after an overnight fast. They completed a questionnaire about daily drinking habits and their daily alcohol intake was calculated.

Results: The median IHL content was 4.7% in men and 1.7% in women, and it increased along with the number of features of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The optimum IHL cut-off value for separating normal subjects from those with at least one feature of MetS was 6.5% in men (AUC of ROC: 0.727, 95%-CI: 0.649-0.804) and 1.8% in women (0.765, 0.685-0.844). Alcohol intake was not correlated with the IHL content according to multiple logistic regression analysis.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated a close association of IHL with features of MetS and identified IHL content cut-off values for metabolic normality in Japanese subjects.