FAO Sqad

[237SJ]

Hi Sqad. My mum (82) had a blood test last week and the doctor phoned her just now to say she has a fatty liver and he wants to do an ultrasound and trial statins for 3 months. At her last blood test a different doctor asked her if she drinks (she`s never been a drinker). I presume he saw something similar in her tests but didn`t do anything about it. I know you get a fatty liver from boozing but do you get it from high cholesterol as well? She has been told in the past that her cholesterol is high (I can`t remember but I think 7 or 8). Is it anything to worry about?

[237SJ]

Apologies in advance if I don`t get back to you. I`m going to work now and don`t know if I`ll have access to wifi.

[Sqad]

237SJ......Hi!

Mum is 82 years of age and liver function tests have been reported as abnormal............that is my take on the situation.

If you had posted this question some 20years ago. then the answer would have been that it was alcohol related.

However, obesity and diabetes causing a fatty liver has taken over as the commonest cause and yes a high blood cholesterol is associated with this diagnosis.

Aged 82,abnormal liver function tests due to a fatty liver is not the end of the world and can be turned around by a change in lifestyle.

Type 2 diabetes and hypertension will have to be excluded as they are often associated with a fatty liver.

Luckily you have not asked me my opinion re statins for your mother ;-)

No need to worry, just keep me up to date with further investigations.

[237SJ]

Thanks Sqad. I feel a bit better now. My Mum had breast cancer 3 1/2 years ago and I worry a little bit when doctors talk about abnormal liver results. Yes she does have hypertension (which is under control with drugs) so that might have had an impact on her liver as well. Would a fatty liver show up on ultrasound? I know irreversible fatty cysts can show but I didn`t know ultrasound images were that detailed. I don`t know anything about that though. I`m not into Googling things until I get a proper diagnosis so don`t want to go there.

[Sqad]

237SJ......an abnormal ultrasound would not have specific features to confirm a diagnosis of fatty liver, but would be specific enough to show changes due to malignant secondaries from say.....breast cancer.

My bet?........for what it's worth.

Fatty liver 10-1 on
Secondaries/100-1 against.

[237SJ]

Thanks again Sqad. She`s going for more blood tests on tuesday and the ultrasound at some point after that so I`ll let you know the outcome.