Liver echogenicity: Relation to systemic blood pressure and other components of the metabolic syndrome

We studied the impact of liver echogenicity among other potential predictors of systemic blood pressure (BP) and the metabolic syndrome. 38 persons (32 males, six females, aged 29 to 66) had their liver echogenicities scored, BPs measured and standard serum laboratory tests studied. There was a significant correlation between both systolic (r = 0.438, p = 0.006) and diastolic (r = 0.498, p = 0.001) BP and liver echogenicity. Liver echogenicity was the strongest predictor for systolic BP and the second strongest (after body mass index, BMI) for diastolic BP. Body height may modify the relation between liver echogenicity and systolic BP. Liver echogenicity also correlated significantly with BMI (r = 0.527, p = 0.001), serum triglycerides (r = 0.472, p = 0.003) and, to a lesser degree, with serum total cholesterol (r = 0.305, p = 0.066). Incidentally found increased liver echogenicity should alert the US performer and the clinician reading the report on the possibility of elevated BP or other features of the metabolic syndrome. (E-mail: tapio.vehmas@ttl.fi)