Fatty Liver in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Patients

Fatty liver is known to be one of the most frequent liver pathologies in IBD patients (35-40%). Despite this fact, there are only few publications that evaluated the prevalence of fatty liver in IBD patients. Moreover, the pathogenesis of this phenomenon in IBD has not been widely investigated. The paradox of lean patients and fatty liver can be explained by high use of steroids, by rapid weight loss, and by the abundance of TNFα cytokine in IBD patients that causes insulin resistance. The aim of the study: To evaluate the frequency of fatty liver in a cohort of IBD patients and to learn its risk factors. Methods: One hundred consecutive IBD patients treated at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center will be recruited. Patients will fill up a questionnaire regarding their disease, demographic data, other co-morbidities and medications and risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Each patient will undergo blood examinations in order to assess inflammation, and metabolic status. Fatty liver will be assessed by liver ultra-sonography.