Background: There is growing evidence that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a disease affecting not only the liver but also extrahepatic organs.
Aim: To investigate whether in youths NAFLD is associated with extrahepatic complications such as subclinical atherosclerosis, cardiac abnormalities, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, decreased bone mineral density, renal dysfunction, obstructive sleep apnea, and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Methods: We systematically reviewed PubMed; Scopus; Embase; and the Cochrane Library databases up to 28 February 2019 and assessed the quality of studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
Results: Thirty-five articles were selected for this systematic review: fifteen (4627 participants) evaluated the association of NAFLD with subclinical atherosclerosis; four (969 participants) with cardiac abnormalities; two (550 participants) with hypertension; four (1328 participants) with diabetes; six (523 participants) with low bone mineral density; two (865 participants) with renal dysfunction; one with obstructive sleep apnea; and one with polycystic ovary syndrome. Most studies found that youths with NAFLD have increased features of subclinical atherosclerosis; as well as of cardiac alterations. Limited data were available to endorse a solid estimate of the prevalence of diabetes; low mineral density and renal dysfunction in the pediatric NAFLD population.
Conclusion: NAFLD-related intermediate CVD outcomes can occur and be detected early in young populations.
Keywords: NAFLD; cardiac structural and functional abnormalities; children and adolescents; decreased bone mineral density; hypertension; obstructive sleep apnea; polycystic ovary syndrome; renal dysfunction; subclinical atherosclerosis; type 2 diabetes.