Quality of Life in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Combination with Essential Hypertension

Introduction. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases where its frequency in the population varies within 3.0–40.0 %. Pathogenesis of NAFLD has a close relation to the components of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia and hypertension. In 14.0–20.0 % NAFLD is combined with the defeat of the cardiovascular system, including essential hypertension. The long course of NAFLD in combination with essential hypertension can negatively affect the patient's quality of life. The aim of the study is to find out the features of quality of life in patients with NAFLD in combination with essential arterial hypertension. Materials and methods. We investigated the quality of life of 38 patients with NAFLD combined with hypertension (research group) and in 36 patients with isolated NAFLD (comparison group). The control group included 20 healthy individuals. Patients of all the groups were comparable by gender and age. Assessment of quality of life was performed using the Ukrainian version of the questionnaire Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (MOS SF-36). NAFLD was diagnosed according to clinical and laboratory parameters and results of ultrasound examination. Diagnosis of the arterial hypertension II stage, 1-3 degrees was set according to the protocol N 384 of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated May 24, 2012. Results and discussion. The quality of life of patients with NAFLD, compared with practically healthy individuals, according to the questionnaire MOS SF-36, is moderately reduced. And the decrease of all indicators of life quality in patients with NAFLD and arterial hypertension of the II stage, 1-3 degrees gives the reason to believe that the physical and psychological state of such patients can greatly limit the amount of daily work, reduce their vital and social functions. They are prone to depression, anxiety disorder, and a negative assessment of the prospects of their lives, health and treatment. Conclusions. The quality of life of patients with NAFLD is significantly reduced. Accession to NAFLD of hypertension significantly affects the quality of life of patients which is manifested as a decrease of physical condition (especially role-functioning caused by physical condition, pain intensity and overall health) and mental health (especially the vitality and social functioning). This is reflected by decrease in parameters of physical and psychological health. It is necessary to consider this factor in treating patients with this pathology.