Abstract: Objective This study aimed to the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) in patients with hypopituitarism (HP), and to clarify the relationship between thyroid functions and the occurrence of NAFLD. Methods 32 patients with HP and 30 patients with NAFLD were enrolled in our hospital between January 2018 and June 2022, and all underwent ultrasonography to determine the diagnosis of NAFLD. Serum free triiodothyronine (FT₃), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cortisol (Cor), growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor -1 (IGF-1) were detected by ELISA. Results Out of 32 patients with HP in our series, the ultrasonography revealed NAFLD in 17 cases; the body mass index, serum ALT, AST, GGT, lactate dehydrogenase and triglyceride levels in patients with HP and NAFLD were(27.4±3.6)kg/m², 76.7(36.3, 328.6) U/L, 65.2(38.5, 335.2)U/L, 68.5(32.2, 82.5)U/L, (313.5 ± 55.3)U/L and (2.1±0.7)mmol/L, all significantly higher than [(23.4±1.5)kg/m², 16.2(10.4, 23.6)U/L, 18.1(14.5, 25.9)U/L, 36.0(12.5, 43.5)U/L, (198.1 ± 47.3)U/L and (1.3±1.2)mmol/L, respectively, P<0.05], while serum high-density lipoprotein level was (0.8±0.6)mmol/L, much lower than [(1.2±0.5)mmol/L, P<0.05] in patients with HP; serum FT₄ and GH levels in patients with HP and NAFLD were 9.4(7.3, 12.7)pmol/L and 0.05(0.04, 0.10) ng/mL, much lower than [12.3(8.8, 15.3)pmol/L and 0.1(0.05, 0.2)ng/mL, P<0.05] in patients with HP, while the FT₃/FT₄ ratio was 0.4(0.3, 0.4), much greater than [0.2(0.2, 0.4), P<0.05] in patients with HP; serum TSH, FT₄ and GH levels were 1.3(0.4, 3.3)μIU/mL, 9.4(7.3, 12.7)pmol/L and 0.05(0.04, 0.10) ng/mL, significantly lower than [2.8(1.4, 4.5)μIU/mL, 16.5(11.6, 24.9)pmol/L and 0.1(0.05, 0.3)ng/mL, P<0.05], while the FT₃/FT₄ ratio was significantly greater than [0.2(0.1, 0.3), P<0.05] in patients with NAFLD. Conclusion The hypothyroidism could disturb systemic lipid metabolism, which might lead to the occurrence of NAFLD.

Key words: Nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, Hypopituitarism, Hypothyroidism