Evaluation of MACK-3 parameters, metabolic and fibrotic characteristics of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients with hypertension.

Abstract

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an inflammatory subtype of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and recent non-invasive test, MACK-3, demonstrated good diagnostic characteristics for fibrosis in several studies. The aim of our study was to assess the liver state using the non-invasive MACK-3 Test, and its link with liver fibrosis stage, inflammatory activity, steatosis, and metabolic markers in NAFLD patients with hypertension (HT). Thirty adult NAFLD patients with HT, aged 30 to 60 years (mean age 46.36±5.1 years) were included in our study. The control group consisted of 20 healthy volunteers. In addition to basic laboratory tests and ultrasonographic examination, validated non-invasive fibrosis test were performed. MACK-3 was calculated using the online calculator with the following variables: fasting glucose, fasting insulin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and cytokeratin 18 (CK18). All NAFLD patients with HT were characterized with increased liver enzymatic activity, lipid profile, increased levels of insulin and HOMA-IR˂0.001. MACK-3 parameters were positively correlated with thymol test = 0.45 (P<0.013), with aspartataminotransferase (AST) = 0.38 (P<0.03) and alanineaminotransferase (ALT) - =0.38 (P<0.03), with the stage of Fibrotest activity = 0.25 (P<0.018) and steatosis = 0.76 (P<0.001). MACK-3 parameters associations with hepatic enzymatic activity, steatosis and activity stage suggest this test as a promising for screening use in such patients and requires further studies.