The Correlation Between Serum Adipokines and Liver Cell Damage in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common cause of chronic hepatitis, which can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between serum adipocytokines and the histologic findings of the liver in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case-control study was performed on those with persistent elevated liver enzymes and with evidence of fatty liver in ultrasonography. After exclusion of patients with other etiologies causing abnormal liver function tests, the resulting patients underwent liver biopsies. NAFLD was diagnosed based on liver histology according to the Brunt scoring system. RESULTS: Waist circumferences and levels of blood glucose (after fasting), insulin, triglycerides, alanine aminotransferases (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferases (AST) were higher in patients with NAFLD than in those in the control group. ALT, AST, and gamma glutamine transferase (GGT) levels were lower in patients with liver steatosis of a grade of less than 33% than those with higher degrees of steatosis. Serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, and hepcidin levels were significantly higher in those with lobular inflammation of grade 0 - 1 than in those with inflammation of grade 2 - 3 (Brunt score). Meanwhile, AST was significantly lower in those with lobular inflammation of grade 1 than in those with grade 2-3. Hepcidin and resistin levels were significantly higher in patients with moderate to severe fibrosis than in those with mild fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that surrogate liver function tests and adipocytokine levels were correlated with the histologic findings of the liver.