@article{Wilman2017,
title = {Characterisation of liver fat in the UK Biobank cohort},
author = {Henry R. Wilman, Matt Kelly, Steve Garratt, Paul M. Matthews, Matteo Milanesi, Amy Herlihy, Micheal Gyngell, Stefan Neubauer, Jimmy D. Bell, Rajarshi Banerjee, E. Louise Thomas },
url = {http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0172921},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-02-27},
journal = {PLOS One },
abstract = {Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the risk of progression to steatohepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma have been identified as major public health concerns. We have demonstrated the feasibility and potential value of measuring liver fat content by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a large population in this study of 4,949 participants (aged 45–73 years) in the UK Biobank imaging enhancement. Despite requirements for only a single (≤3min) scan of each subject, liver fat was able to be measured as the MRI proton density fat fraction (PDFF) with an overall success rate of 96.4%. The overall hepatic fat distribution was centred between 1–2%, and was highly skewed towards higher fat content. The mean PDFF was 3.91%, and median 2.11%. Analysis of PDFF in conjunction with other data fields available from the UK Biobank Resource showed associations of increased liver fat with greater age, BMI, weight gain, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. Subjects with BMI less than 25 kg/m2 had a low risk (5%) of high liver fat (PDFF > 5.5%), whereas in the higher BMI population (>30 kg/m2) the prevalence of high liver fat was approximately 1 in 3. These data suggest that population screening to identify people with high PDFF is possible and could be cost effective. MRI based PDFF is an effective method for this. Finally, although cross sectional, this study suggests the utility of the PDFF measurement within UK Biobank, particularly for applications to elucidating risk factors through associations with prospectively acquired data on clinical outcomes of liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.},
keywords = {9914, fat, imaging, liver},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

@article{RiderOJ2016,
title = {Investigating a Liver Fat: Arterial Stiffening Pathway in Adult and Childhood Obesity},
author = {Rider, O. J.
Banerjee, R.
Rayner, J. J.
Shah, R.
Murthy, V. L.
Robson, M. D.
Neubauer, S.},
url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26564820},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-11-14},
journal = {Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol},
abstract = {OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between hepatic fat content, circulating triglyceride levels and aortic stiffness in adult and childhood obesity. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Seventy-seven adults and 18 children across a wide range of body mass index (18.5-52.6 kg/m(2); percentile 8-100) with no identifiable cardiac risk factors underwent; 1H- magnetic resonance spectroscopy to quantify hepatic fat content and magnetic resonance imaging to assess aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and regional distensibility. In adults, multivariable regression showed age (beta=0.09; P=0.02), liver fat (beta=2.5; P=0.04), and serum triglyceride (beta=0.47; P=0.01) to be independent predictors of PWV. Age and blood pressure-adjusted, moderated regression showed that 43% of the total negative effect of hepatic fat on PWV is attributable to indirect effects via increased triglyceride (P=0.005). In addition, regional distensibility was positively correlated with hepatic fat (ascending; r=-0.35; descending, r=-0.23; abdominal, r=-0.41; all P<0.001). Similar to that seen in adults, PWV (r=0.72; P<0.001) and abdominal regional distensibility (r=-0.52; P<0.001) were correlated with liver fat in children. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing age, liver fat, and triglyceride are all related to increased aortic stiffness in adults. Even when controlling for the effects of age and blood pressure, hepatic fat has a negative effect on PWV, with substantial indirect effect occurring via increased circulating triglyceride level. This relationship between hepatic fat and aortic stiffness occurs early in the obesity process and is also seen in children. As such, hepatic fat content is a potential therapeutic target to treat the elevated vascular risk in obesity.},
keywords = {arterial stiffening, fat, liver},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}