Abstract
ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the association of serum betatrophin with the status and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).MethodsA total of 249 subjects who received ultrasonic examination of liver fat content (LFC) were recruited. Anthropometric and biochemical examinations were performed. Serum betatrophin was measured by ELISA.ResultsCompared with control group, serum betatrophin significantly increased in NAFLD group (P < 0.05). There was significant difference in serum betatrophin among control, low liver fat content (LLFC), and high liver fat content (HLFC) groups (P < 0.01). After adjustment for gender, age, BMI, FPG and HbA1c, the betatrophin positively correlated with LFC (r = 0.185, P < 0.01) and TG (r = 0.195, P < 0.01). Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated serum betatrophin was independently related to LFC (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed subjects in the highest tertile of serum betatrophin had higher odds of having NAFLD after adjustment for traditional NAFLD risk factors (OR = 2.88, 95%CI: 1.15–7.19) (P<0.05).ConclusionSerum betatrophin is an independent risk factor for NAFLD and potential non-invasive marker for its progression. Serum betatrophin may be helpful for the early diagnosis of NAFLD and improvement of its prognosis.
Highlights
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a worldwide public health problem affecting nearly a third of global population [1, 2]
Subjects were divided into three groups according to LFC: (1) Control group: LFC < 9.15% (n = 84); (2) low liver fat content (LLFC): 9.15% LFC 20% (n = 82); (3) high liver fat content (HLFC): LFC > 20% (n = 83)
Among 249 subjects, there were 165 age- and sex- matched individuals who were diagnosed with NAFLD due to LFC higher than 9.15%
Summary
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a worldwide public health problem affecting nearly a third of global population [1, 2]. NAFLD has a higher prevalence in China and its incidence is approximately 15% in adults of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other developed areas [3] It encompasses a spectrum ranging from non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [4]. Liver biopsy is still the gold standard for the diagnosis of NAFLD and the evaluation of its progression [8] It is invasive and has some disadvantages such as high cost, insufficient sampling tissues, complications (such as bile leakage), sampling error and others [9]. It is not recommended as a technique in the population screening. It is imperative to develop new clinical non-invasive markers for the identification of individuals with high risk for NASH in NAFLD patients, the prediction of its progression and the early intervenetion
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