The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors and features of liver diseases (LD) in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis.
From July 2007 to January 2010, 118 non-selected patients were consecutively examined. The assessment consisted of a medical record, biochemical studies and abdominal ultrasounds. The diagnosis of fatty liver disease was based on the ultrasound drug induced liver injury (DILI) was evaluated by the Maria-Victorino system criteria. Liver biopsy associated with chronic administration of methotrexate was performed using the histological classification of Kleiner et al. For the statistical analysis chi square test with Yates correction, Student's t test or Mann-Whitney test were applied when appropriate. In the multivariate analysis a binary logistic regression was used. The threshold of significance was P < 0.05.
LD was diagnosed in 47 patients (39.8%). The most frequent LD was fatty liver disease in 35 patients (29.7%), followed by DILI in 15 (12.7%), associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). In the multivariate analysis, obesity was the only independent risk factor associated with fatty liver disease [Odds ratio (OR) 6.4 (confidence interval (CI) 95%: 2.5-16.1; P = 0.000)] and fatty liver disease was the only risk factor associated with DILI [OR 7.7 (CI 95%: 2.0-30.0; P = 0.003)].
In our series, there was a high prevalence of LD, being fatty liver disease associated with obesity the most frequent finding. The second frequent disease was DILI, being fatty liver disease its main risk factor. The presence of obesity and the use of NSAIDs, especially in patients with steatosis, arise from our results as two conditions that require special care in handling this particular population.